Thousandfurs
by RosieB
Summary: COMPLETE Based on the little known Grimm fairytale. Princess Kagome is forced from her home and into the demon territories. Will Prince Inuyasha ever figure out who his new servant is? IK. New Chapter: Epilogue.
1. The Dying Queen's Wish

**EDITED AUTHOR'S NOTE – PLEASE READ, ESPECIALLY IF YOU'VE READ "DOG SKIN": **Alright kids, I don't like putting this sort of thing at the beginning of a story, but I'm getting really, really irked by the constant (usually anonymous) reviews accusing me of ripping this story off from SublimeTrickster's "Dog Skin". Sorry, no – I'm not a plagiarist. Don't you think that if I were, I'd have the presence of mind to at least not put it on the same site as ST's story? If you would read my original author's note (see below), you would see that both of us have based our stories off of the same Grimm's fairytale, hence the vast amount of plot-based similarities. I've read ST's story. I love it. It's on my favorite's page. But no, I'm not ripping her story off. We've talked about it and agreed that our directions and styles are sufficiently different. My only regret is that I was not aware of her story before I started receiving nasty reviews. Please, if you're going to send me something so inflammatory, check out your facts first. Both ST and I have mentioned this "situation" in our author's notes and I hate to have to resort to doing this little self-righteous blurb at the beginning of this story, but it's preferable to my other option, which is disabling my ability to receive anonymous reviews. I know that this note will not completely stop everyone, because obviously, I'm preaching to the choir that actually reads these things, but I hope it will help. I'm not actually a defensive nasty person – I'm quite nice once you get to know me. Please read my story and judge it on its own merits, review and we'll talk. I answer every signed review I receive. Thank you for listening to my rant. Happy fanfiction reading!

**A/N:** An Inu/Kagome fic! Never has there been one of those! Haha… Well, perhaps not one like this. This is an AU based on the brother Grimms' fairytale "Thousandfurs", also called "All-Kinds-of-Fur". You don't need to know the tale to understand my version.

**Slight warning:** The rating is mostly precautionary. There are adult themes. Fairy tales often contain very shocking elements such as rape, incest, murder and cannibalism. Of course, not all of these things will be in THIS story, but I'm just trying to give you an idea.

Enjoy!

Thousandfurs

Chapter 1: The Dying Queen's Wish

_Once upon a time, in a land faraway, there was a magnificent kingdom ruled by a stern king. He was married to a beautiful queen with long dark hair, flawless skin and a gentle character. Prince Sota was their heir, a young boy of ten. They also had an older daughter, a princess named Kagome, who had an appetite for adventure. This is her story._

Frost crept across the windowpanes as Kagome held her sick mother's hand in her own and watched as her chest rose and fell with labored breaths. Her eyes moved over to her father, who was sitting on the other side of the bed with his head in his hands.

"She'll be alright. Won't she, father?" She had no hope, but this was a conversation they had gone through many times over the past weeks.

The king glanced up at his sickly wife, taking in the clammy, pale skin and her violent, intermittent shaking. "I don't know, Kagome."

Kagome nodded, watching the candlelight flicker from the sconces on the walls. The large luxurious chamber, once the site of so many happy meetings between mother and daughter, was now somber and filled with unshed tears. She felt the need to escape. She stood up, placing a hand on her neck and cracking the joints. Several hours in the same position had done nothing for her comfort.

Prince Sota, her little brother, came in at that moment. He had been in his room to get some sleep, but Kagome thought he looked even more tired now than before he had gone to rest. He was the queen's baby boy after all. She knew this illness was hardest on him, although he hardly said anything about it.

He stood inside the door, looking at her, clearly wondering if it was time to change the watch. They never left her alone these days and each child was a mixture of envious and relieved when they gave up the watch to the other. They couldn't bear the thought of missing their mother's last moments, but they didn't want to witness it either.

Rubbing at the sore junction between her neck and shoulder, Kagome murmured something about getting rest herself and walked out of her mother's room, giving her brother a squeeze of the hand as she passed. The guards standing outside gently closed the ornate oak doors behind her.

She turned to face one of them. "Where is Myoga?" she asked, her voice scratchy with hours of silent tears.

"I believe he is in the front parlor, Your Highness."

"Thank you." She smiled weakly at him. "Make sure someone calls me if there's any change in the queen's condition."

"Of course, Your Highness." The guard bowed at the waist, his knuckles white as his hand gripped the pole of his glaive.

Walking down the hall, she found the flea demon exactly where the sentinel said he would be. The diplomat looked small and insignificant on the delicately carved center table in the small room. The rich hues of burgundy enveloped the princess as she sat down on one of the settees surrounding the table. Dark red drapes hung loosely by the sides of the two large windows, showing the chilled landscape outside.

The demon was reading some very boring documents about the border patrol. He had to move along the page as he read the long parchment, something that usually amused Kagome to watch.

"It's so gloomy outside," she said with a sigh, the smile long gone.

Myoga nodded in agreement and looked at her distracted visage. "Was there something I could help you with, Princess Kagome?"

The girl shrugged. "I suppose I just didn't want to be in that room anymore. I needed a friend." She held her hand out and Myoga hopped onto the soft pads of her fingers.

"I am honored that you would seek me out, Princess," he said, bowing.

Kagome nodded and leaned back into the over-stuffed cushions, letting her hand rest on her knee.

She and Myoga had become friends the second he had arrived at her father's palace fifteen years ago. Sure, she had been only two, but the way her mother told it, they had immediately taken to each other. The flea put up with her childish habits and listened to her constant chatter. In return, she protected him when he was caught drinking the guards' blood.

As she grew up, their conversations had become a bit more two-sided and Kagome found an excellent mentor and friend in the little demon. The consideration with which he treated her made the princess forget that Myoga was not actually one of her father's subjects. He was a diplomat between her human kingdom and the demon kingdoms, the one who advised her father on how to keep peace. With all the demons surrounding their kingdom, Myoga was one of the most powerful beings of her father's reign.

"Myoga, are you ever going to leave us?" she asked.

"Not if I can help it, Princess," he responded. "As you can imagine, there isn't much use for a flea demon like myself in the demon world."

"Why not?" she asked, eager to talk about anything other the queen's condition. That was all anyone ever talked about these days.

Myoga smiled softly at her attraction to the world beyond her borders. "I am no warrior, Your Highness. Neither can I handle a scythe or a pen. I can only advise and orate. Demons have little need for such talents. We prefer to decide matters on our own."

"You have importance here."

"Which is why I do not wish to leave, Princess. True demon diplomats are few and far between." He puffed out his chest a bit in importance.

"You know, demons don't have much use for humans either," she mused. She had never thought about demon politics, preferring Myoga's stories about his childhood in the countryside. "Why do they let us live? They could easily kill us all."

Myoga settled down on her palm. "I believe that you think all demons hate humans. I assure you, Princess, that we do not."

"Of course I don't believe that," she said, waving aside his comment. "But some do and some of them must be in power."

"Which is why I have the job of keeping peace, Your Highness." He smiled up at her. "A job that I would not trade for anything."

A thought popped into Kagome's head. "If you're our link to the demon world, the demon kingdoms must have human diplomats."

"Yes, Princess. Actually the human diplomats can sometimes become so immersed into the demonic culture that they begin to take on demon traits like long life and youth. Of course, when that happens, a new diplomat must take their place, since the old one could be considered a youkai." He scratched his head. "Although I have never heard of it happening to demons in the human kingdoms."

Kagome smiled and tapped him very gently on the top of his head. "Probably because you guys are so darn stubborn."

"Perhaps, Princess," he replied, returning the smile. If Kagome had studied it, she would have found it was not nearly as broad as usual. After all, how would she know what other demons were like?

Instead, she let him get back onto the table and pushed herself out of the chair. Walking over to the window, she peered out into the snowy fields that surrounded the castle. "When everything settles down around here, will you take me to the demon lands, Myoga?" Perhaps it was her mother's sickness, but Kagome felt the sudden need to have a change in her life. She couldn't just get out of her mother's room, but the kingdom.

"Ah, Princess," he started uneasily, "that would be most difficult to accomplish. As soon as the queen recovers, the king shall give you and your dowry to a worthy _human_ prince." His kind tone from before became slightly harsh. He shuddered to think what would happen if the king knew that Kagome was asking questions about the demon world. Already, Myoga had said more than was appropriate. This conversation, if known, would just cause long, tedious fights among the royal family.

Kagome frowned and leaned her forehead against the cold glass. Her breath made large spots of fog that faded slowly. "You said humans could travel to demon lands. I'm a princess. Shouldn't I be able to visit? Show my father's goodwill?"

Myoga cleared his throat. "Princess, I said that human _diplomats_ lived within the demon kingdom borders. They are tolerated and even liked because of their own tolerant attitude. _You_, however, would encounter much mistrust. You are not a diplomat and therefore could contribute nothing to their society." He was shifting his weight from foot to foot, something Kagome knew he did when he was hiding important information.

The truth was, she wouldn't be trusted because she _was_ a princess, and her father's daughter no less.

"Liar," she said, a bit more severely than she intended. Taking a deep breath, she tried again. "Surely the demon lands have humans that aren't diplomats."

"Yes," Myoga answered coldly. "They're called prisoners of war."

"Prisoners?" she gasped, lifting her head from the glass.

The girl had never seen bloodshed. The last war her kingdom had been involved in was one when she had been a little girl. They had absorbed a neighboring city state in a bloody, but thankfully short, series of battles. It was called the Toba War, after the city that had been crushed by her father's army, but she knew nothing else about it.

"Yes, Princess. Prisoners." He sighed and adopted a gentler tone. "Just because most demons don't _hate_ humans, does not mean they _like_ them. Diplomats are the exception in most cases."

"But we don't treat them horribly!" Kagome protested. "What reason do they have?"

Myoga gave a small growl of frustration and hopped quickly over to the windowsill she was leaning against. After taking a moment to catch his breath and to think of the proper way to put his words, he looked up at her. "You don't understand, Princess."

"Than _help_ me understand!" she spat.

Sighing, his answer came slowly. "Humans hate demons, Your Highness. Have you truly never noticed that no demon lives within your father's borders, save myself? It is _illegal_ for demons to enter your father's lands without diplomatic orders or special circumstances."

"That's not true," Kagome whispered, aghast.

"I assure you, it is, Princess. Your father hates demons," he muttered.

The conversation had not taken the turns he had expected. It disturbed him to know that while the queen was suffering, he was distressing her only daughter.

Kagome was compassionate and intelligent, but naïve in the ways of the world. He considered with a twinge of annoyance how much had been skated over in her education. Obviously, the girl knew of nothing that slandered her kingdom's name. He hated to be the one to shatter her innocent viewpoint.

The young girl in front of him had been a wonderful gift. Moving to the kingdom of the most powerful and rabid youkai-hater had been difficult, but the princess had helped immensely with the transition.

Kagome sat down hard without her usual grace on the windowsill. "That's not true," she repeated. Her voice seemed breathless and unbelieving.

Her father had never treated Myoga with any malice, or even slight contempt. Sure, they weren't exactly friends, but she wasn't sure her father knew the meaning of the word.

But he was still her father. To think that he could be so prejudiced against half of the world's population was horrible to conceive.

Slowly, she rose out of her reverie. "How could I not know?"

"The youkai situation is not a favorite topic of conversation in this kingdom, if you had not noticed, Princess. Your father learned his dislike of demons from his father, as he did from his father. This has gone on for a hundred years and it will not change anytime soon." He finished with another shudder, again contemplating the consequences for telling the princess about this.

Kagome studied her hands. "What happened? Why do humans hate demons?"

Myoga jumped up on her lap and patted the tip of her thumb. "It is best you didn't know."

She glared at him. "Don't make me order you, Myoga." The youkai might not be her subject, but he still had to bend to the commands of the royal family.

"No one ever believes me," he muttered to himself. He lifted his head to meet her gaze. "Very well, Princess… A hundred years ago, another princess like you went to the demon lands to the west. She met the demon king and fell in love. In the end, the princess mated with him and became the demon's queen. That's all."

"That doesn't sound too bad," commented Kagome. "Sounds kind of romantic actually."

Myoga shook his head. "No, Your Highness. As romantic as it might have been for the princess and the king, her human father was furious. He was convinced the demon king had tricked her and put her under a spell. A war broke out when the human king attacked, dividing human kingdoms and the demon ones. Naturally, the demon king crushed his opponents. Afterwards, the demon kingdoms wished to keep their peaceful, good relations with the humans, but the humans had become embittered. They believed that their women would be carried off to live with the demons."

"Oh. Why don't the demons hate _us_ then?" Kagome was lost as to how this story could have escaped her attention for her entire life. More curious was the fact that she had never asked.

"Out of respect for the demon king, who was the most powerful of them all," answered Myoga. "His mate, the human, still lives in his halls. Her kindness is legendary."

"They're still alive?" Kagome asked in awe.

"Of course, Princess. You know that I myself am over seven hundred."

"I thought you were kidding!" She thought back to the first time that she had asked him that question when she was six years old. As she got older, she realized that Myoga _must_ have been pulling her leg.

Myoga laughed in the soft wheezy way Kagome had gotten so used to. "I assure you, I was not kidding with you, Princess. I just told you that we are practically immortal."

"But seven hundred!" She began to laugh with him, the first time she had felt this type of amusement in days.

"There are many youkai older than I am," Myoga observed.

She studied his aged appearance and arched a sculpted eyebrow at him.

He caught her dubious look. "Most have a longer youth than I do, Princess. The demon king I was speaking of earlier still appears to be no older than thirty-five in human years, when he actually about five hundred."

"Do all youkai look so different from humans, like you, my friend?" She imagined large cats, dogs and lizards wandering around fields, talking with human voices and possessing human-like eyes.

"Indeed, no." He waved his two top arms to dismiss her ideas. "While many demons have forms that tap into their animalistic sides, most appear vaguely human. Their eyes frequently take on strange colors, as does their hair. Royal demons have markings upon their faces. I once heard a human diplomat describe them as 'perfection in all things'."

"Hmm… I would like to meet some of them," Kagome murmured as she looked up at the ceiling's scrolling designs.

His face grew serious once again. "Princess Kagome…" he warned, "I cannot allow you to entertain such thoughts."

Unfortunately for him, Myoga's words were in vain. The princess had engrossed herself in the image of a demon paradise, where beings more beautiful than angels roamed palace halls and they intermingled with humans who had ascended to immortality.

Perhaps she would find an angelic demon for herself.

Myoga searched her faraway look, finding it eerily similar to the one she had when she had seen her first pony. "What are you thinking, Kagome?" he asked with suspicion lacing his voice. He only used her name without her title when he felt the need to assert his old, venerable wisdom over her.

She snapped her eyes down to the tiny youkai. "Nothing," she lied.

But Myoga felt he already knew what was happening in her mind. "They are not puppies, Princess." He paused and considered this. "Most of them aren't, anyway. Demons can be vicious and bloodthirsty. Do yourself a favor and get married to a nice, human prince."

"One of those insipid fools that come around every once in awhile?" She put her free hand up to her forehead in a dramatic pose. " 'Oh Princess… You are my dearest love, even though I have never met you besides at those long, tedious balls!'" Dropping her hand she sighed. "Is it too much to ask for me to fall in love before I get married?"

"Then you certainly will not want a demon, Princess," Myoga observed. "Demons hardly know the meaning of love."

"What about the demon king and his human wife?"

"Mate. They are called 'mates', Princess Kagome. And I must admit, they are an exception. But that does not happen often."

"It doesn't happen much among human royals _either_, Myoga," she commented with a sigh of frustration.

The flea couldn't think of anything to say to cheer his friend up. "Perhaps you should go back to visit your mother once again, Princess," he muttered in a depressed tone.

She nodded, a bit heartbroken that her best friend would not support her plans. Bidding him a soft goodbye, she left the room. She could hear Myoga sigh in frustration as she closed the door behind her.

She smoothed the red kimono she wore as she moved down the hallway. For a princess, Kagome wore quite simple clothing and this one was no different. Baronesses and duchesses alike snickered behind their dainty fans at the princess's repellence for cutting edge fashion. Personally, Kagome thought they all looked like vain peacocks instead of courtiers. During her nightly meetings with her mother, Kagome would sit at her knee and allow the queen to smooth back her hair, whispering that the ladies of the court were simply jealous.

'My little kitten,' she would say, repeating her old pet name for her daughter. 'You must learn that you will be the object of many envious stares and slanderous quips. You must also learn to rise above these things. You are a princess above all else and you have a destiny that no one can even imagine. My Kagome will go far in this life.'

How Kagome wished that was true now. She wanted nothing more than to be walking away from the queen's bedchamber with joy in her heart, instead of towards it with despair. Without her mother, she felt that she could never go anywhere. What would she do if her mother died, like so many of courtiers said she would? Who would support her then?

She found herself facing the two guards sooner than she expected. Nodding to them, she placed her hands on the gilt door handles, took a deep breath and pulled them open. The room seemed even darker and more solemn than before. Kagome noticed Sota's eyes were glistening with unshed tears as he stood by the large bed. She rounded the corners of the bed to get to his side.

"Sota? Are you okay?" She placed an arm around her little brother's shoulders, feeling the tension in them.

"The doctor was just in here, Sis. He says he can't do anything more for mother. She's going to die." He choked out the words and spun towards her, burying his head in Kagome's shoulder. He could hear her heartbeat speed up as his words sunk in.

The princess stared at the queen over the prince's head. Her breaths were slowing down and although her eyes were open for once, they were glassy and unfocused. The lingering hope that had lived in Kagome for the past few weeks died suddenly and her own tears began running down her cheeks.

"My husband?" The words were barely there, but in the deathly silence of the room, they seemed to echo loudly.

The king's head snapped up to attention. "My queen…" He reached forward and put his hand over his wife's. "You should rest."

Kagome and Sota watched as their mother shook her head slowly and smiled. "You know I am dying." To Kagome's surprise, the queen's smile grew wider. "You'll be fine without me. But I ask that you promise me one thing."

"Anything." His gaze had fallen to the floor but his voice was filled with a sudden strength, determined to fulfill his dying queen's last desire.

"Don't marry anyone unless they are as beautiful and virtuous as me."

Sota arched an eyebrow and was about to ask a question, when Kagome touched his arm, shaking her head to stop him. No matter how delirious the queen might seem to be, they owed her this last favor.

The king was equally taken aback. "My… my queen? Um, yes. Of course."

A soft wheezing sound told Kagome that her mother was attempting to laugh at his expression. "I do not want you to… settle for the next woman you see simply because you are in grief. Only when you believe someone has surpassed your deceased wife do you know that you have finished mourning."

Kagome and Sota looked at each other. For once, they didn't really agree with their mother. Not to mention the fact that their father wasn't much for mourning anyway.

The queen shifted her gaze to her children, who immediately stepped up to the edge of the bed and lay their hands on her arm. She smiled at her son and daughter and closed her eyes.

A minute later, the queen stopped breathing.

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Three months had passed since the queen had been placed in the mausoleum with her predecessors. Kagome's tears had ebbed only somewhat and she was still wearing black when her father called her to an official audience. Everyone wondered what he could announce so soon after his wife's death. Official audiences included the courtiers and advisors, and they were normally only called when the king had an announcement that would affect the entire kingdom.

As she walked down the long hallway to her father's throne room, Sota joined her. "Hey, Sis. Have any idea what this is about?"

"No. I've asked a couple courtiers and even Myoga. No one knows."

Her brother lowered his voice to a whisper. "Father has been acting very strangely since Mother died. It's worrying me."

Kagome simply shrugged. "You see him more than I do, Sota, but I'm sure he's fine."

The guards bowed to the royal siblings as they entered the large, stark room with their father sitting at the other end. The normally echoing chamber was full of men, women and children dressed in their finest clothes. Ever since the queen had died, the finery had been packed away. Now, the courtiers tittered amongst themselves happily.

She was rather sickened by their willingness to forget about her mother, but she didn't have time to dwell upon it. So the princess curtsied to her father, who nodded in return and stood to address the crowd.

As they settled down, Kagome moved to the side and quietly greeted Myoga as he hopped onto her shoulder.

The flea didn't answer. He just kept his head bowed and his hands tucked inside his sleeves.

She frowned, but figured that he _had_ been stuck in council with the other advisors and her father for the past seven hours. That always put him into a bad mood. She turned back to the dais where her father stood.

The king began to clear his throat, calling attention to all those who continued to talk. He smiled at all the people filling his grand hall. "I am pleased that all of you could be here for this announcement. As you know, I lost wife and queen three months ago." The courtiers had the grace to force their expressions into ones of solemnity, grief and empathy. "What you may not know is that the queen, in her last moments of life, asked a favor of me. She requested that should I ever consider remarrying, that I choose a woman equal to her in looks and virtue."

This statement caused widespread arched eyebrows and questioning whispers. Kagome and Sota were no exception. They stared at each other, shocked that their father would divulge such private information like their mother's deathbed wish.

The king continued. "I mourn my wife's death every day, but our kingdom needs a queen and I cannot deny them that simple request. But I must also honor my promise to my first wife."

Five men Kagome had never seen before came into the throne room at that moment. They were dressed in the blue silk uniforms of the palace guard, but had no weapons by their sides. The king beckoned to them, waiting silently until they reached the platform.

"These men have been searching for a woman of equal beauty to my wife. And now I ask, have you found any woman comparable to my dead queen?"

The man in the center stepped forward and bent at his knee. "We have searched far and wide, Your Majesty, but we have found no one suitable."

"Thank you. You are dismissed." He waited until they had left until he continued again. "It is with this information that I have come to a difficult, but necessary, decision."

Kagome became aware of Myoga's small movements on her shoulder. She looked down to see him shaking his head and _whimpering_. Never had she seen the flea demon so upset. Considering he ran at the slightest sign of trouble, this wasn't unusual, but this didn't look like fear. It looked like Myoga was _angry_ and trying to suppress it.

"Of all the women in the world, no one can match my wife. Except one. On this basis, I have chosen my next wife. It is one of you." He stretched his hands out to the room.

There was a scattering of gasps. The single women in the crowd began to primp as well as they could without their beauty implements. Gentle rustling of silk could be heard as they fluffed their skirts and hair. Whispers echoed as the women asked each other if any makeup was smeared or on their teeth. Kagome just rolled her eyes. One of these women was to become her mother?

The king turned to his daughter. "Kagome," he said quietly. "Please come here."

She furrowed her brow slightly but stepped forward as her father requested. Myoga still sat upon her shoulder, and Kagome swore she could hear the tiny youkai growl. She met Sota's eyes and frowned slightly when she realized her brother was not approaching the throne with her.

The king grasped her hand. "I present to my courtiers, the future queen. Princess Kagome."

The girl placed her free hand over her chest, feeling the air escape her lungs and its refusal to return. Despite the pressure on her heart, Kagome felt like she was floating without her body, without legs to plant her to the ground.

Finally, the nausea hit her full force and she fell to the floor.

The people of the royal court had been holding their own hearts in shock, but sprang forward when they saw the princess fall. Even the woman who had so scorned Kagome felt her pain now.

One of the more powerful lords stepped up to the dais and knelt before the girl, gently pulling her up by her elbow. He kept his eyes, however, on his king. "Your Majesty, please. With all due respect, this does not keep with your usual _wisdom_. This is your _daughter_. You cannot marry her."

The king, who had been watching everyone's movements without moving himself, stared at him. "I promised my dead wife. Kagome is the only one who can compare to her."

Another courtier, a lesser lady in simple silk, spoke up. "What about the Princess Kikyo of the neighboring kingdom? She is almost the spitting image of Princess Kagome."

"Almost is not good enough," he responded coldly. "Not to mention that Kikyo has none of my wife's virtues."

Kagome, stunned, leaned up against the lord that had helped her up.

"Ah, Your Majesty," spoke up Myoga, who had re-materialized on her shoulder. "I must agree with the lord and lady. This is a mistake."

The king waved his hand, turned and sat down in his throne. "You said all of this to me during the meeting with the council, Myoga. Don't be so stubborn. Do you not agree that Kagome is the mirror of her mother, in appearance as well as soul?"

The flea shifted nervously. "Well, yes, Your Majesty. But…"

"Then it's decided. Kagome will be my bride. The wedding will be in two weeks." He closed his eyes briefly. "This official audience is over."

The crowd muttered amongst themselves as they slowly began to move out.

"No!"

Kagome's scream echoed throughout the hall, despite the number of people remaining. She shook herself from the lord's grasp and stomped up to the throne.

"You can't do this! I'm your daughter! It's sick!"

The king frowned. "I can and I will. You are not my daughter if I say you are not. You are disowned and you are now my betrothed." His face melted into a wicked smile.

Hands curled around her arms and gently pulled her away from the king before she could retort. "Don't anger him, Princess," whispered a few of the courtiers.

"Listen to them," warned the king. He leaned forward with his elbows on his knees. "I expect to see you again at the evening meal with myself and the advisors. Think about what you want as a wedding gift, my dear."

Kagome's lip quivered with suppressed rage, but she didn't dare say anything. She had seen her father's anger and it was a force to be reckoned with. She could do nothing but slowly turn and walk out of the room.

Quick footsteps followed her until her brother stood beside her. "Sis, I had no idea about this."

"I know you didn't," she whispered in return. Tears threatened to fall, but she would not allow it. Surely, the king would come to his senses.

"Father's gone mad," he stated simply.

"Maybe, but he's still king. He can do whatever he wants."

"Princess?" Myoga called softly from her shoulder.

"What?" Kagome wasn't feeling especially warm towards the flea at the moment. True, he had had no chance to tell her, but he still had _known_. Why hadn't he stopped her father from making this reckless decision?

"May I suggest a course of action that might save you?"

Sota quirked an eyebrow. "My father's word is law. You can't stop this, except by overthrowing him. Although, I have to admit, I'm thinking about it." He whispered his words, so they would not reach nosy courtiers.

Myoga shook his head. "Much simpler than that, Your Highness. Acceptance of the wedding gift seals the engagement, as you both know. I simply suggest that Kagome ask for something that will be impossible to obtain."

Kagome smiled faintly, her heart feeling light again. "That's a pretty good idea, Myoga. Well then, what should I ask for?"

The three stopped in the hallway, considering the question. The youkai finally spoke. "I believe I have an answer, Princess. As you know, your father is quite _frugal_ with his treasury. If you request expensive gifts, he would most certainly refuse."

Sota was staring into the distance with a thoughtful frown. "Gold," he whispered.

"What?" asked Kagome. "No, no, the gift has to be something that looks like I've accepted the idea of marrying him. We don't want to anger him, after all. That would just cause more problems."

"I agree, Sis. But I'm not saying that you should ask for gold coins. Ask for something made of gold."

"Let's talk somewhere more private," suggested Myoga, who could hear the king moving out of the throne room and down the hall to where the siblings were standing.

Kagome moved towards the parlor where she and Myoga had their discussion on the day the queen died so many months ago. After the three of them had entered the small room, she dismissed the guards and closed the doors.

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"Well, Kagome?" The king leaned forward slightly over his dinner plate, peering at his daughter and future wife. "Have you decided on what you want for your wedding present?"

She willed herself not to shudder at the sound of her father's voice. Forcing herself to meet his eyes, she curtsied. "Yes, Your Highness."

The princess considered calling him 'father', but that would just be asking for a yelling match. As it was, her demands were fairly steep and she wasn't sure she would avoid it anyway. She let her gaze travel over the faces of the advisors, noting that Myoga sat at her father's left hand. His usual space at his right hand had been left open for her.

"Are you going to tell us, then, my dear? Or will you just stand there?"

Kagome straightened her spine. "I want four items for my wedding gift."

The king laughed heartily. "Four? Well, we are getting used to this idea, aren't we?" He leaned back into his chair and clapped his hands together. "Tell me what you want, my dear."

Taking a deep breath, Kagome began her list of demands. "I want a kimono that shines like the golden sun, a kimono that glows like the silver moon and a kimono that glitters like the diamond stars."

A general murmur of surprise swept across the table as the king stared in disbelief. "You expect me to have kimonos made of gold, silver and diamonds? Is this what I'm hearing?"

"Yes. And I have a fourth request as well."

The king narrowed his eyes. "I'm not sure it could beat a kimono of diamonds, but go ahead."

"I want a cloak made of a thousand types of fur from the creatures of this kingdom. It should be able to cover my body and my hair."

His eyes were in dangerous slits by the time she finished. "The kimonos I can understand, but why the cloak of fur?"

Kagome shrugged and tried to appear nonchalant. She had expected this question. "I think that if you truly want to marry me, you should prove your intentions by completing this task for me. Then I'll know that you plan to treat me as a queen should be treated."

She expected him to yell and shout about her injustice. She expected him to accuse her of trickery. She expected him to call off the wedding. She did _not_ expect him to suddenly have a quirky little smile of amusement.

"Very well, Princess. I will obtain these items for you."

Hiding her shock proved to be very difficult. "Okay…"

He patted the table to his right. "Now, come and eat some dinner. You must be starved. The servants told me you didn't eat any lunch."

She slowly moved down the length of the table towards her chair. The sympathetic gazes of the council followed her the entire way. They knew how traumatizing the experience must be for the princess and they felt helpless to stop her father's insanity and sinful acts. Every one of them had fought against the king's decision, but in the end, he was still the king and they were still just the advisors. And the king did not take their advice on this matter.

A servant pulled the chair out for her and she nodded in thanks as she seated herself. Her eyes met Myoga's and he gave her an encouraging smile. She just stared back.

The king smiled at his daughter. "You will make a wonderful queen for the Nakao kingdom, my love."

She shuddered visibly.

Frowning now, the monarch continued, "You have requested a wedding gift. That seals the marriage agreement. Why do you show your future husband no gratitude?"

"Excuse me, Your Highness, but only when you give me the complete gift will our agreement be binding."

"Ah," he laughed. "You go by the letter of law. You will be a strict queen, but a good one."

This time, Kagome managed to stop her shuddering. Why did he keep referring to her future leadership? It was unnerving her. She realized with a jolt that it was precisely what he wanted. The king wished to break her spirit in this matter, for her to lay down and accept his proposal.

She glanced at Myoga once again, noting that his kind smile had completely disappeared.

"Princess," he began. "In preparation for your ascension to the throne, I believe we must have a talk about foreign policy."

"Naturally," she returned. "We shall talk right after supper, alright?"

The king looked between the demon and the princess, but they were both eating again with their heads down. There was no sign that their brief discussion meant anything beside what they said.

But the sovereign had a sixth sense about these things and he knew in that moment that his daughter's extravagant request had nothing to do with her wishes to be taken care of, and everything to do with the fact that she didn't want to marry him. And the flea had something to do with it. He decided that he would complete his princess's gifts if it meant he had to clean out his entire treasury. He was the king and he was damned if he'd allow a little girl and filthy demon to trick him out of what he wanted.

Myoga and Kagome had entirely different thoughts than the king. His agreement to the gifts meant that they would have to fall back upon their secondary plan. They were going to run, run to where the army of a youkai-hating king would not be allowed.

They would cross the border to the Taisho kingdom, their demon neighbor.

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Kagome stared in disbelief at the three kimonos and the fur cloak. "They're… they're everything I imagined and more, Your Majesty," she whispered.

And truly, they were. The gold and silver kimonos were spun of the genuine precious metals, so finely that they were as light as any silk kimono. The diamond kimono had thousands of tiny diamonds sown into the silvery material. Each had an obi of thick silk in complimenting colors. Next to these works of art, the fur cloak of a thousand furs looked grotesque.

Even so, the princess had to marvel at the skill of the kingdom's hunters.

A tug on her heart reminded her that now was not the time to be starry-eyed over the beautiful kimonos. She had much to do. How could two weeks pass so quickly? Kagome felt as if it were two minutes ago that she and Myoga had been planning their escape.

The king leaned over her shoulder and she instinctively pulled away, but he caught her arm. "Now that everything with this ridiculously expensive gift is settled, we will get married."

Kagome blinked in surprise. "When?"

"Tomorrow."

"Tomorrow!" she cried in surprise. When her father had announced two weeks ago that he intended to marry her, Kagome hadn't really believed everything would be ready for the set date.

"Yes, so you better go and get a good night's sleep."

She gathered the kimonos and the cloak into her arms and prepared to leave the library, but the king grabbed her arm again. Kagome bowed her head and kept her eyes on the patterned carpet beneath her feet. "As you suggested, I should sleep, Your Majesty."

The king placed a kiss on her temple, despite her rigid posture, and then let go. "I shall see you tomorrow." He smiled at her, although she still avoided his gaze. "There's another kimono in your room made of white silk. Not quite diamonds, but I believe you should wear something more _conservative_ for the ceremony."

"Of course, Your Majesty. Thank you for everything," she murmured before giving him a small curtsey and escaping into the hall.

Once outside the suffocating room, she breathed a sigh of relief.

'I have to leave tonight,' she thought to herself as she glanced at the guards and began walking down the hall. As she did, Kagome studied every foot of the distance between the library and her bedroom. Her childhood had ended abruptly two weeks ago, but that didn't mean she wouldn't miss her home.

She ran her fingers along the mahogany walls as she meandered down the corridor. Kagome would like to stay if it didn't mean marrying her own father, even she still had to be in the same house as the tyrant. She wondered if demon palaces were anything like the Nakao kingdom's dark, streamlined architecture.

Pulling open her bedroom doors, Kagome noted that only one guard stood outside, instead of two. With a sigh, she entered her chambers.

She noticed the gorgeous heavy silk kimono on her bed, completed by a silver flowered obi. Silver hair combs lay on top of it and delicate sandals sat on the floor.

The princess sighed in frustration as she went to her closet and pulled out a small yellow bag she had acquired from one of the servants. Tossing it onto the bed next to her wedding kimono, she folded the three precious kimonos from her father and pushed them to the bottom of the bag.

"Princess?"

"Come on in, Myoga," she called.

He thanked the guard that opened the door for him, waited for the door to close and watched Kagome as she fussed over her packing.

"Are you okay, Princess?" he asked, noticing that she was compulsively tucking her hair back. Except for her nervous tic, she was the picture of composure.

"Well, aside from my creepy encounter just now, I'm fine. I think." She frowned as she looked over her dresser's contents. "I really can't take any of this, can I?" she asked, holding up gilt hairbrush. A few strands of raven hair wove through the bristles, which Kagome promptly pulled out and let fall into the trash bin.

"No, Princess, you can't," agreed Myoga. He glanced at the partially packed bag and frowned. "You are bringing the kimonos?"

Kagome shrugged. "Nakao coins will be useless there. Perhaps I can sell them."

The flea scratched his head. "Only if necessary, Princess. A human girl in a fur cloak will attract enough attention as it is without dragging possibly the most valuable clothes in the world into the situation." He hopped over to her bed and inspected the wedding kimono. "Will you not take this one?"

The princess shuddered. "Never. That one just seems so _tainted_. The other three were made by my request, but that one just seems to remind me of Father's…" she trailed off.

"Sins." The flea looked up at her, aware that she was even now hesitant to condemn the man who helped give her life.

"Yeah… I guess so." She moved over to her large bay window and hugged herself. "It looks cold outside."

Large snowflakes drifted lazily down to the ground, creating a frozen waste of the palace grounds. Her father had never been one for gardens.

"You have a fur coat," he pointed out.

She nodded. "I just have a few more things to pack and then we'll be ready. When do you think we should leave?"

"As soon as we can, Princess. Your brother will arrive when he's ready. We want to get as much distance between us and the palace as possible before morning." He jumped over to her bag. "What else were you planning to bring, Your Highness? Most commoners have only one set of clothes, so I don't suggest taking much more."

Kagome shuddered at the thought of wearing the same clothing every day. "I know, I'm going to wear a simple winter kimono and bring a yukata for warmer weather. That's all." Her face broke into a grin. "Well, that's all for clothes, that is."

Myoga gazed at her with a critical and suspicious eye. "What are you planning, Princess?"

With her Cheshire cat grin still in place, she lounged in a cushioned chair next to her dresser. "When Mother died, I inherited certain duties that Father is too busy to deal with. Namely, the care of the Artifacts."

The flea cried out in surprise. "You surely can't be considering taking them with you, Princess? That could, and would, be considered treason. If our escape plan failed and your father caught us with the Artifacts, I doubt that he would spare our lives."

Kagome scoffed. "I don't know why. They're completely powerless."

"But they are the heirlooms of the kingdom," he argued. "The last time they were stolen, civil war erupted over who should be king: your ancestor or the thief."

"Nevertheless," she retorted, "they're coming with me."

"Is this some sort of revenge on your father?" questioned Myoga.

She licked her dry lips. "Perhaps, a little. But remember that my _mother_ was the only child of the previous king. The Artifacts belong in her family, not his. And therefore, they're mine."

"I suppose," muttered the flea, not wanting to fight.

Kagome stood up, opened her top drawer and pulled out a small drawstring velvet bag. She dumped the three Artifacts out onto her hand and inspected each one, muttering about them in turn. "The gilt arrowhead of my ancestor, a powerful miko. The hilt of a legendary sword." She held up an pink half-orb that once was about marble-sized, before it had been broken into two pieces. "And the Shikon no Tama. Half of it anyway."

Myoga still felt nervous about the whole situation. The only thing that kept him around was his strong bond to Kagome. No matter how cowardly he was, he could not abandon the girl who had become his closest friend, almost akin to a daughter. "It all looks like it's in good order, Princess."

She placed the Artifacts back into the pouch and closed it with a smooth movement. As she went to place it in her bag, she looked at the flea youkai. "Do you know the story behind the Artifacts, Myoga?"

"If I remember correctly, your ancestor destroyed a powerful half-demon with that arrowhead. The handguard is from Tetsusaiga, a sword that could kill one hundred demons with one swing. And the Shikon was created by a priestess's very soul. No one knows where the other half is."

The princess nodded. "It's a pity that nothing more is known. But they say that the Artifacts will one day fulfill their destiny, whatever it may be. Perhaps I'm their destiny."

He knew that she was trying to reassure herself about her thievery, but couldn't offer much comfort. He was just as uneasy about it as her. "It's a vague story, Princess. Nothing more than a legend. None of the Artifacts hold any power beside sentimental value."

There was a knock on the door and Kagome shoved the Artifacts into her bag and put the bag itself out of sight. "Hello?" she called.

"Just me, Sis."

"Come in, Sota."

Her brother came in and shut the door tightly behind him. "Father has gone to bed. If you want to do this, now would be the time." He grinned as he looked outside. "You're lucky your room is on the first floor. This would be a lot harder if it wasn't."

Kagome rushed forward and embraced Sota so hard that his breath left his lungs. "I'll miss you," she murmured, trying to hold back tears.

He patted her gingerly on the back. "It's okay, Sis. Once I'm king, I'll find you and bring you home. I promise." He pulled away slightly and smiled. "That bastard can't live forever, right?"

"Sota!"

"Well, it's true. He's forcing my sister to run away with his insanity. I have a right to be angry." As was typical with Sota, his face didn't display any of his true emotion. But it rather comforted Kagome to know that he wouldn't break down in front of her.

The prince went to the door and threw his sister one more lopsided smile. "Just wait for the signal and then go."

"What's the signal?" asked Kagome with intense curiosity.

Sota's smile grew wider. "You'll know, Sis. Just get out while the guards are away from their posts, and you should be home free."

"Love you, Sota."

"Love you too, Kagome." He pulled open the door and stepped into the hall. "Goodnight, Sis. See you tomorrow," he said, putting on a rather good show for the guard.

The door clicked closed behind him and the princess immediately turned and threw on the cloak. Then, she went to the small fireplace and grabbed a handful of soot. She rubbed it onto her arms, hands, face and neck.

Myoga watched in silence as the ashes of last night's fire hid Kagome's beauty. With the fur cloak and her unique 'make-up', the princess looked little better than a scullery maid did.

Finally, she rose and turned to pick up her bag. "Ready?" she asked as she tied back her hair and covered her head with the hood.

The flea hopped up and tucked himself under her hood next to the nape of her neck, from where he could speak and be heard. "I'm ready, Princess."

Kagome went to the window and pushed it open, shivering as the wind blew into her room. "Call me by my given name from now on, Myoga. I'm not a princess anymore." She leaned her head out, listening for her brother's signal.

The now former diplomat snuggled into her thick, silky hair, but jumped when a loud crash rattled through the castle. "I believe that must be the signal," observed Myoga as he listened to guards shouting orders both in and outside of the palace.

"Sounds like he smashed that huge window at the far end of the palace. It's the only thing that could make that much noise." She studied the castle grounds once more for straggling soldiers and hefted herself over the lip of the windowsill. "Thanks, Sota," she whispered.

The wind howled and the snow pelted her face, creating white spots in her soot-covered skin. She began to sprint towards the side entrance in the castle walls. It was the farthest, but least guarded of all the doors and she made a beeline for it.

"Well, here we go," muttered Myoga as they slipped away through the shadows.

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A/N: Wow, that was long for a first chapter! Although, I did combine two previously separate chapters to create this first one. Considering that all this is about two lines in the original tale, I got a hefty 18 pages out of it. I know that the whole incest bit is gross, but that's the tale, so I didn't want to "Disney-fy" it. The story has a high rating for a reason after all. Next chapter – Inuyasha arrives and Kagome has to see if her disguise works.

For all those who are wondering about my sequel to _The Broken Miko_, it's coming. The first chapter is almost done. I'll be pretty busy until November 1st, when my first law school application is due.

Please review!


	2. Scullery Maid

A/N: Hey everyone. Welcome to the second chapter of _Thousandfurs_. Several people have pointed out that another author, SublimeTrickster, has a Grimm-based story called _Dog Skin_. Thank you. Now I am informed. That said, I hope you enjoy this second chapter. Have fun.

Thousandfurs

Chapter 2: Scullery Maid

"Kagome… Kagome… Please wake up."

The former princess opened her eyes slowly, trying not to listen to the flea snuggled in the curve of her neck. "What do you want?"

They were in the hollow of a tree, curled underneath the protection of Kagome's fur coat, but the winter wind still rushed into their temporary home. The night had been miserable, spent on the root-covered ground and trying to huddle against the winter weather. Kagome, not accustomed to any lack of food, ate the entire chunk of bread she had brought along, while Myoga had tried to stop himself from drinking too much of her blood. He couldn't weaken the girl, who was already wilting in harsher conditions than she could ever have dreamed of.

"Kagome, there are men coming this way," he whispered. "I see their shadows through the falling snow and I think they'll pass right by us."

She sat up, groaning at her stiff joints, and tried to peer through the thick white powder. Several massive figures were moving through the silent wood, becoming clearer every moment. Kagome gave a tired smile. "Oh thank Kami! We can ask them for help."

"No, Kagome!" he admonished before she could move. "We aren't in human territory anymore! These are probably demons and they could kill you as easily as not. You _must not_ tell them who you are, if they even see us. If they find out who you are, they'll send us back to your kingdom to prevent war, because there's no way a secret like that can be kept. You know that, Kagome."

The girl sighed in frustration, knowing that her little friend was correct. After all, she had run to the Taisho kingdom to have anonymity. "Fine, we won't say who we are. Can we please ask for some food though?"

Myoga frowned in thought. "Let them find you. Lie down again. I'm sure they'll investigate, considering that you smell of a thousand different animals. Don't resist them. And remember, I am not Myoga, the diplomat. The name is just a coincidence."

"Big coincidence," muttered the cold and damp girl as she settled back down upon the ground.

"Demons frequently name their children after famous youkai, particularly those of the same species, so they will not question it," he responded, burying himself in her hair behind her ear. From there, he could keep warm and whisper to the princess easily.

Kagome carefully covered her head with the cloak's hood and tried to cower in the back, out of the wind. Through a small gap, she watched the dark figures in the white wood come closer. There were five men riding massive stallions, three in the uniforms of a royal guard, one in purple and navy winter robes, and most strikingly, a creature clad in apple red.

She thought of him as a creature, because surely, he couldn't be human. He was what she had envisioned when she had thought about angelic demons, when Myoga had spoken of them so many months before. With flowing white hair, glowing golden eyes and his regal bearing, Kagome knew in an instant that this male was the leader of the group. He even had adorable, fuzzy dog ears, as if to remind the onlooker that there had to be a gentler side to this youkai. He was beautiful.

As they came closer to the tree, she could pick out their words over the wind. She was startled to hear that they were already talking about her and shut her eyes in anxiety.

"What is it?" asked a strong, slightly rough voice. Kagome smiled under the hood. It was the voice of the young lord. She knew he had to be of royal blood!

"My lord, it seems to be some kind of sleeping animal," a warm voice said.

"It looks like it has a thousand types of fur," muttered a more gritty tone.

"Catch it. We'll take it to the king," ordered the first voice. Kagome tensed up. Catch it? She began to tremble in fright.

"Yes, your highness."

She heard the three guards dismount and land in the powdery snow. It creaked underneath their feet as they approached the tree with steady, slow footsteps. She could feel Myoga shaking against her neck. She practically felt the vibrations as one of them leaned his weight against the edge of the hollow. The hair on her arms stood up as she heard their breathing. The wood of the dying tree groaned as they moved towards her.

"Don't hurt me!" she shrieked, breaking her silence and recoiling back as far as she could get.

The guards jumped back, holding their ears against her scream, which echoed in the small hollow. A fourth man, one with human ears and lacking the pale skin that the other four had, dismounted and walked over to the tree, holding up his hands. "No one will hurt you, I promise."

He was the one with the warm voice, like a comforting monk at a confessional. So Kagome slowly pushed back her hood and, despite her soot-covered face and grotesque outfit, the man didn't flinch. He held out his hand to her. "Come on out of there. You must be freezing." She crawled out of the hollow with his help and stood in front of the five curious males. She saw that a wagon was now coming into view, driven by two servants, as the others continued to stare at her.

"Who are you?" asked the kind man. He didn't seem to mind that she had smeared his hand with black soot.

Kagome remembered Myoga's words and lowered her head. "I'm just a poor girl whose parents have abandoned me."

"You're human," said the creature in red, narrowing his eyes slightly. "Why are you in demon territory?"

"That would be my fault, my prince," spoke up Myoga, appearing on Kagome's shoulder. "You are, I'm assuming, Prince Inuyasha of the Taisho kingdom?"

The prince leaned forward in his saddle. "I am. And you are?"

The little flea bowed deeply. "I am called Myoga, sire."

"The diplomat?" asked the man in blue and purple, arching a brow.

Kagome felt the youkai tremble once with nerves, but his voice was steady as he answered. "No, my lord. Simply a coincidence."

The male called Inuyasha looked at the princess carefully. "This doesn't explain why you're in demon territory. Humans don't do so well here, even if they have demon guides."

"I found her, my lord," broke in Myoga, before the girl could answer and cause even more suspicion. "She was starving and someone owed me a bit of food. We made a deal. She got the food if I could drink some of her blood. We've been travelling together ever since and I suggested that she attempt to find work in the Taisho kingdom. I have heard how tolerant this land is and there was no work in the human lands."

Inuyasha frowned but nodded his acceptance. "I guess you expect us to help you then?"

Kagome almost frowned herself. Her 'angel' wasn't very polite, and he certainly didn't have the warmth of the human male. But years of placating courtiers and fellow royals kicked in and she gave a mild smile. "My lord, I know that I am far from your responsibility. I am not even one of your subjects. But please, take pity on me and take me with you. You can leave me at the city gates if you want, but I won't survive in the wood another night."

The prince scowled. "Fine, come with us, but there's no room except the back of the wagon. Try not to step on the venison."

She obediently moved over to the wagon, allowing the two servants to hoist her over the side. Landing with a little splash, Kagome looked down to see blood surrounding her feet. Five dead deer with their throats slashed open sat in the wagon bed. "Oh Kami!" she cried, clinging back against the wall. "They're dead!"

The huntsmen laughed indulgently as the prince's scowl deepened. "Such a poor creature like you should be used to living in filth. Be happy that you don't have to walk."

Kagome was about to retort when Myoga tapped her ear. "Don't say anything, Kagome. I don't think he'll take it very well."

Instead, she curtsied with a bitter retort in the back of her mind. "Of course, your highness. I am thankful for anything you have to offer."

"Be sure to keep that in mind," he warned. "I can smell your insolence."

"No," warned Myoga again, as Kagome opened her mouth. "He has excellent hearing you know and as the only female here, he'll easily pick out your voice."

The man in purple and navy watched Kagome carefully as he mounted his horse once again. "Inuyasha," he whispered to his friend, "I think that the girl might be good in the kitchens at the palace."

He growled softly in response. "And have that girl constantly underfoot? You humans always get in the way. She'll be a pest in the kitchen, not a help. She's filthy. I don't want her touching my food." He narrowed his eyes. "Don't be a lech either. She's just a little animal. She's beneath even you."

"Your mother would not be pleased if we left her at the city gates," replied the human, ignoring the insult to his character. "And I don't think that she would appreciate your comments about humans, considering that is what she is herself."

Inuyasha paled a bit and then rolled his eyes. "Yeah, okay, whatever." He wheeled his horse around and rode up alongside the wagon, chuckling under his breath as he saw the girl trying desperately to avoid the blood. "We'll give you a job in the kitchens, alright, wench?"

The former princess scowled. "I have a name, you know," she snapped, before Myoga could stop her. "Kagome. Ka-go-me!"

He stared at her for a long moment, a frown threatening to crease his features, and then chuckled again. "Kagome, eh? Doesn't suit you. Thousandfurs should be your name, considering that horrid cloak."

"It is all I have!" protested the girl.

"And you probably stole it," countered Inuyasha.

Her knuckles whitened as she gripped the edge of the wagon. "I did not!"

"Sure, Thousandfurs." He grinned at her, showing off his fangs. "Let's go," he called, turning back to his men.

The wagon started moving, nearly causing Kagome to fall into the puddles of blood. She heard Myoga murmuring quiet assurances in her ear, but her heart was not listening. The wind had picked up again, burning her cheeks red underneath the soot. She clutched her yellow bag tightly, thinking about the brilliant kimonos inside and what the prince would say if he had met her while she was wearing one of them. He would treat her as the princess she was. He certainly wouldn't have been rude!

"He's really not that bad of a guy," said the kind human male as he dropped back to ride next to the wagon.

"What?" Kagome asked, an eyebrow shooting up.

The man shrugged. "He's just a bit rough around the edges. You can't let him frustrate you too much. I think he rather enjoys it."

"But you're human, aren't you?" she asked. She was quickly learning that appearances could be deceiving and except for their pointed ears and pale skin, the other men were indistinguishable from any human she would pass on the street.

"Oh, yes. I guess I've just gotten used to the prince's unique method of conversation. I'm Miroku, by the way. I'm the diplomat of the human territories for the Taisho kingdom." He winked at her. "I'm very important."

"And a complete pervert, no doubt," muttered Myoga in her ear.

Kagome smiled, although it was hard to tell under the soot. "_I've_ never heard of you."

"Ah well, you wouldn't have, being from a human territory, would you? Not many humans care about our contact with the demon world."

"No, I suppose not," she agreed.

"Well, truly, Inuyasha doesn't have a problem with humans. In fact, I think he has a bit of a soft spot for human females, especially considering his mother is human," he said in a low voice.

Kagome's eyes widened to show the whites around her irises. "He's a half demon?" she asked, looking down at Myoga.

"Of course, my dear," said the flea. "Couldn't you tell?"

The girl flushed. "Except for you, I had never met a demon before, Myoga. How was I supposed to know?"

Miroku grinned at Kagome's naïveté. "Do you see his dog ears? He can't hide all of his demon attributes, like most of them can. He's quite as strong as any demon, but unfortunately, those ears are like red flags to youkai that he is not pure blooded. That, and supposedly he doesn't smell the same, but this," he tapped the side of his beak-like nose, "can't really tell."

"Well, neither can I, obviously," said Kagome, smiling. "I thought he was just beautiful."

The diplomat raised an eyebrow. "Beautiful?"

Myoga smacked his forehead as Kagome blushed again. "You have to forgive my companion, my lord. She has this disillusioned idea that youkai are exquisite, kind creatures."

"No, I certainly don't believe that," cut in Kagome, before Miroku could begin laughing. "They seem to have a terrible greatness about them. I understand that they can be violent and cruel. After all, you suck the blood out of a starving girl any chance you get!"

This time Miroku did laugh. "Trust me, there is really nothing great about demon kingdoms," he said, when he caught his breath. "Many of them are just like the farmers and laborers in any human village. And they can get _very_ violent. It's the reason we don't have any overpopulation problems, if you understand me."

"How horrible!"

"You're no longer in a land of human law. Youkai law is considerably more _lax_ concerning internal disputes," he replied. "You should be careful."

Kagome nodded solemnly. "I've been on the receiving end of more than my fair share of dubious justice. I'm sure I will be fine."

He gave her a small smile. "I hope so. There are so few humans in the palace. It would be a shame to lose even one."

"Miroku!" called Inuyasha from the front. "Get up here."

The diplomat sighed. "Ah well, duty calls. I shall speak to you later then?"

Kagome very much doubted that the man would ever venture down into the kitchens, especially to talk to a dirty, fur-covered girl like herself, but she nodded. "I hope so," she replied, watching him join his lord.

The rest of the trip was cold, wet and long. Kagome stood in the wagon, finally learning to ignore the blood lapping at her heels. The few times she had actually gone with the hunting parties at home had been lovely experiences. Back at home, she would be on a magnificent mare, the offspring of the most powerful beasts in the stables. She never saw the animals that were killed up close and could command the others to leave any animal alone, if she so wished. If the snow and cold got to be too much, she would be lifted out of the saddle and placed in a covered litter with plush pillows and gold edging.

But she wasn't at home anymore. She didn't even have a home. By now, the king had discovered her flight and had sent troops to cover the kingdom and the neighboring human kingdoms to find her and drag her back. Even before she had left, he had taken away her title, in some pathetic attempt to erase his sins. She hadn't been a princess for quite awhile, and now she certainly would never be a queen. She had no desire to return, of course, but she missed her castle and her bed and the fireplace that roared every moment of the cold winter.

And she missed her brother. She sighed, looking over at Miroku. Even if he was a pervert, he reminded her a bit of Sota with his calming attitude and straightforward way of talking. If she regretted anything, it was leaving her little brother behind to face her father's wrath. Certainly the king would realize who had helped her escape.

She sighed again and Myoga moved against her ear. "Something wrong, Kagome?"

"No, not really. I guess that I regret nothing, but everything at the same time. Is that crazy?"

He shook his tiny aged head. "Of course not. It's reasonable to miss your family, despite your father's faults. It's all you have known, after all. But I'm afraid that now, you must learn a new way of life. One considerable below your former level of living."

Kagome looked over at the prince. "I think I get that."

Myoga sighed as he followed her gaze. "I have never seen the hanyou prince, but I now see that many of the rumors are true. He is in the shadow of his elder brother."

"Oh? So he isn't the heir then?"

"In fact, he is," corrected the flea. "His elder brother was born by a different mother, the king's first wife. When Inuyasha was born though, there were two sons in this kingdom, two potential heirs. However, the Sato kingdom had only a daughter and no son. The king of Sato kingdom got sick and fearing his death, the queen asked the Taisho kingdom for help. The elder brother, Prince Sesshoumaru, agreed to marry the daughter and rule Sato kingdom. They have a son now."

"You mean, he gave up the Taisho kingdom? Why couldn't he have had both?" asked Kagome, who was very familiar with kings' vying for other kingdoms on a regular basis.

Myoga laughed softly. "You humans and your greed. It never ceases to amuse me. Youkai are so much more logical. Sato kingdom, although politically and militarily less powerful at the moment, has great potential in the future. The Taisho kingdom is at its height, or so most people say, and it's a bit smaller as well. Prince Sesshoumaru took what he believed was the greater choice." He lowered his voice even further. "They also say that Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha detest each other and I don't doubt one kingdom away is still too close. Although they say the rivalry has calmed down a bit since Sesshoumaru had his own son, ensuring his legacy."

"Surely they would never go to war with each other?" asked Kagome. "They're still brothers."

"Half-brothers. And no, I don't believe they would ever engage in war, but only because it would completely disable the demon kingdoms and allow the humans to gain power. And that's the one thing that Prince Sesshoumaru would never allow." He frowned. "Oh well, I suppose he's the king now, but no matter."

"The king of the Sato kingdom died?" she questioned.

Myoga nodded. "Oh yes. A few days before his daughter married Sesshoumaru. It was a bit tense for awhile. No one was sure if the next of kin would try to take the throne by force, but Sesshoumaru is a formidable opponent and the law of the land says that a betrothed is good enough to be next in line."

Kagome frowned. "It's funny I hadn't heard of any of that."

"It only shows how much you have not been told during your years under your father's roof. And it shows how careful you must be, because most people do know these things, human or not. You have been dangerously closed off from the world."

She lowered her eyes, watching the snow splash up as the wagon moved. "I know." She looked back at the prince. "I think I'm learning how different this world is."

Myoga chuckled. "Well, Kagome, I think that there are unpleasant people like Prince Inuyasha in every land."

"Not quite like him, I wouldn't think," she responded. "And I've been around some distinctive characters."

The flea smiled to himself. "I know, little one."

They fell into silence and listened to the rattle of the wagon. The sun was beginning to go down again. Kagome hadn't realized that they had slept for so long in the tree hollow, but she remembered that she had walked for the entire night and much of the previous day. She was lucky that her father's palace was close to the border, a remnant of the days when demons and youkai still cooperated.

Kagome wondered if that peace would ever return. She knew that Sota had no bias against demons, perhaps a testament to how little contact he had with the king. But who knew how much that would change in the years it took for her father to decline and die? He said that he would find her, but would he even remember his elder sister? She could only hope that her father would continue to alienate her brother, so that Sota would not forget her.

It had stopped snowing by the time they reached their destination, a small village with a castle towering over it. Lights twinkled against the darkening sky as they moved past the tiny, prosperous shops. Demons were moving back and forth in the streets, acting almost human enough to make Kagome sick for home again.

The youkai paused as Prince Inuyasha rode down the flagstone street. Instead of the bows and smiles that Kagome expected, they simply stared at him with large luminous eyes, shining like jewels in the firelight of the street lanterns. And they were beautiful and graceful, just as Kagome had imagined, but their eyes held contempt for the prince.

"Half-breed!"

The snarling call came from behind them, but Inuyasha did not pause. He only tensed his shoulders and rode on down the street. The silence that surrounded him erupted into whispers by the time Kagome passed by.

"What are they saying?" asked the girl.

Myoga clicked his tongue and shook his head. "They are whispering about his heritage."

Kagome frowned. "But you said the queen was generous and lovely. Surely they can't hate anyone born of such goodness."

"I hear nothing against the queen. You must understand that while humans are tolerated, half-demons are reviled. I think that they hate him for simply that reason." He caught the look on her face. "But then, I do not have the hearing of most demons."

To his dismay, she formed an expression of even deeper pain. "Then… _he_ can hear every word."

"Ah… ah well yes, I suppose so," agreed the flea hesitantly.

Avoiding the sneering looks of the youkai subjects, Kagome looked up to the massive roof of the castle. Like the village inhabitants, it was elegant and exotic. The tiled roofs, delicate edging and golden statues at each corner were very different from the thick, dark wood and chunky stone of her former home.

The gilt gates opened for them without command, letting them onto the wide, smooth path of the outer courtyard. The hunting party veered to the right, circling around the main body of the palace and going back to the stables, which were neatly tucked away behind a thicket of bamboo. As the prince rode up the stable entrance, big enough for ten horses to ride abreast, he turned in his saddle. "Take the wagon to the kitchen. Tell the cook to find a place for our new furry little animal," he said with a grin that didn't reach his eyes.

The wagon turned sharply as the servants whipped the horses into action again, down the back garden path to the kitchen, with smoke billowing out of its chimney. Forgetting the pity she felt for him moments before, Kagome threw a scowl back at the prince, but he and the others were already going into the stables. Only Miroku met her gaze, with a sympathetic smile.

Kagome's ride rumbled across the back garden, drawing the attention of all servants. She could only lower her head and remember with shame that this was how prisoners were frequently driven to execution in her own kingdom, in the back of a dirty wagon. She had always thought they had deserved it for their crimes, but now she would never subject any of them to it again.

They jerked to a halt and the servants dismounted, opening the back of the wagon with a snap. "Come on, Thousandfurs. Get down," said one of them, so grubby that Kagome could barely see his skin. She imagined that she looked much the same.

She climbed down from the wagon, trying not to step on the carcasses. "Which way do I go?" she asked after a moment's silence, watching them unload the deer.

"Hold your tongue, Thousandfurs," said the other servant. He looked at her carefully. "If you want to work here, little animal, you should learn to only speak when spoke to by your superiors. And in your position, everyone is your superior. Remember that, and perhaps you'll spare yourself a few lashes from the cook."

"Lashes?" she asked horrified. No one had ever dared to raise a hand against her as a princess. Catching the warning glare from the servant, Kagome lowered her head. "I mean, never mind. Of course I'll keep what you say in mind."

"Keep that flea out of the way too," he said. "None of us will be very happy to find it sucking on our blood."

Myoga gave a little snort of annoyance. "I will certainly not want his blood," he muttered in her ear. "Too bitter."

Kagome tried to keep the smile off her face. "I'm sure he won't bother anyone," she replied.

"Better make sure of that," he said, walking towards the kitchen door. He looked back over his shoulder. "Well? What are you waiting for, Thousandfurs?"

The princess scampered after the servant, almost bowling straight into him as he paused at the doorway. Glaring at her, he slid it open, letting out a thick wave of heat, a relief against the biting cold of the woods. The inside of the kitchen was darker than she had expected, lit only by the glowing fires and the few small windows near the ceiling. Wooden tables stood in the middle of the room, on which vegetable waste was piled in preparation for dinner, while five fires roared away in the stone wall. Twenty servants scampered back and forth across the floor, stirring, chopping and mixing ingredients.

"This is the palace kitchen, only for the preparation of the royal family's food and any of their guests," explained the servant, clearly just killing time until he could hand her off to someone else. "The army has their own kitchen, and no one else really stays in the palace except the royal family and the guard. You may be placed there if you're not needed here. The prince was not specific after all."

A servant nearly dripping with sweat stopped in front of them, carrying a full cauldron of water. Kagome resisted wrinkling her nose at the stench of the unwashed girl. She knew that she stank too. "What're you doing here? You belong in the stables."

He shrugged. "Just bringing the cook a new girl. Be careful, Sango. Thousandfurs might replace you." He raised an eyebrow as she snarled at him and scoffed. "Eh, whatever. Take her. I have no time for her anymore." He chuckled and lounged out.

Sango brushed her dirty black hair back from what Kagome could now see was once a very pretty face. It could be pretty again, Kagome realized, if she was given a warm bath and some decent clothes. As it was, the other girl was wearing a sack cloth.

"Well, come on then," she said a bit roughly, hefting the cauldron over to the fireplace.

Kagome followed dutifully. She could tell this girl was a human. "My name isn't Thousandfurs, you know."

Sango set down the cauldron on an iron arm and swung it around to sit over the fire. "I know," she replied shortly.

"I'm Kagome."

The girl's big brown eyes met hers. "Uh huh. You heard my name," she said, wandering away again, motioning for Kagome to follow. She led her towards the far corner, towards a tall man with a river of black hair down his back. She stopped short suddenly and turned around with an apologetic look. "Listen, I've had a bad day. Bad life actually." She gave a sad little laugh. "It's been awhile since I've seen a human girl of my age and I almost immediately messed it up."

The princess smiled, relieved that Sango was not so hard as she had first appeared. "It's fine. But I thought that there were more humans around here. Like the man that brought me in?"

"He's youkai too. He's just too dirty to tell really. The only humans here are slaves or diplomats. Or you," she amended.

"You're a slave?"

Sango nodded. "I lived in a town that trained many of the Nakao kingdom's soldiers. Several of us were sent across the border, contrary to all treaties between demon and human kingdoms, to capture a youkai for interrogation and target practice. We were caught and of course, the Nakao kingdom denied everything. We were labeled as renegades and our freedom was taken away." She shrugged. "We were lucky that they didn't kill us. I'd imagine the king didn't want to upset his wife though."

"That's the same thing that Lord Miroku said about my situation, otherwise Prince Inuyasha probably would have left me in the snow."

The other girl's eyes widened. "You've spoken to Lord Miroku?"

Kagome gave a cat-like smile. "Yes, indeed I have. Why do you ask?"

Sango burned red. "He's… very handsome. I've seen him a lot in the stables, although I've never spoken to him."

"Why not?" Kagome asked. "He's very nice. I would imagine he would gladly talk to you." Being a princess, she had never been afforded the luxury to be shy around strangers.

The elder girl shook her head. "I don't know. He's so _noble_."

"It's hard to imagine that he never would have spoken to you," prodded Kagome. "He doesn't seem to pay attention to social classes after all." She stared at the girl, who could only flush with color and lower her eyes.

Myoga suddenly appeared on Kagome's shoulder. "Ah, you've been hiding from him, haven't you, my girl?" he asked.

Sango jumped a bit as Kagome scowled at her friend's poor timing. "Myoga! Don't jump out like that! It's so rude! Don't worry, Sango. He's a flea demon that has been traveling with me."

She smiled, still blushing from the princess's gentle questioning. "I understand," she whispered. "I have a fire cat demon in my room. I found her the night before I crossed the border and got caught. The demons took her, to keep her in the stables, but she comes to me every night to keep me warm." Color flooded into her cheeks again, knowing that she had revealed too much of her life in a few words. "Um, I'll introduce you sometime."

Kagome and Myoga smiled indulgently. "We'd like that, my girl," replied Myoga. He turned to face his princess. "I'm off to explore a bit. I'll find you later." He jumped off her shoulder and deftly made his way through the crowd.

"What an odd little youkai," mused the other girl.

"Sango!"

The girl jumped and turned. The man with the long dark hair was staring at her and she bowed. "Yes, Naraku-san?"

"What is that furry creature with you?" he snapped. "Don't stand there gaping, wench! Get over here and answer me!"

Sango cowered slightly, something that seemed unnatural with her. Scurrying over, she bowed again with Kagome close behind. She knew that Myoga could take care of himself, despite his diminutive stature. "Naraku-san, one of the other servants brought her in."

His red eyes flashed over to the princess. "Stealing chickens were you?"

"N-no, Naraku-san," she replied quickly. "Prince Inuyasha and Lord Miroku found me in the woods and said that I could work in the kitchens. My name is-."

"Did I ask you what your name was, animal?" he snarled.

She lowered her eyes. "No, Naraku-san."

His sharp teeth glittered white. "What did the half-demon prince call you?"

A pit formed in her stomach as she wondered if Sango had some equally humiliating nickname. "He called me Thousandfurs, Naraku-san."

The malevolent smile spread further. "Thousandfurs. Fine. Follow me." He moved back towards the fireplaces, leaving Sango with her head bowed. "You'll be sweeping up the ashes of the fire, carrying water, scrubbing pans and doing pretty much whatever anyone else tells you to do. You are the lowest insect of this world, human."

"Yes, Naraku-san," she replied softly. Underneath her hood, her ears began to burn red in embarrassment. If he only knew who she was!

"Sango!" he called, bringing her over in a scurry. "Take Thousandfurs to her bed. She'll only get in the way tonight. Be sure that _you_ come straight back, girl."

The elder girl gave him a clumsy curtsey. "This way," she whispered, leading her back into the cold, now dark as well. Their footsteps crunched in the snow.

"You shouldn't be here," Kagome said suddenly. Blushing when Sango threw her a questioning stare, she continued. "You were a warrior yourself, weren't you? You weren't just along for the ride when they caught your group."

The slave shrugged. "It was a long time ago. I've been here for three years. But yes, I was a warrior. The Nakao army called us the demon exterminators, because we were sent out whenever a youkai crossed the border."

"It's hard to believe that the queen would let you remain here, away from your family." She bit her lip. "And um… not give you proper clothes."

Sango looked away. "I couldn't go back if I wanted to. The king doesn't bear failures. Before I went across the border, we all knew that if we failed and returned, we would be killed. I would rather stay here as a slave than go back there and fall under the blade of some of the king's goons."

"But do you have to be a slave?" she questioned.

The other girl shrugged. "How else would you keep a possible spy? They're worried that I know too much, so they make sure that I can't exit the castle grounds. To tell the truth, the royal family probably wouldn't care if I was freed or not in the beginning, but now I've been here too long. I know too much, even as a slave." She pointed to a large, dark form in the shadows. "There's the servants' quarters."

Although she couldn't see Sango's face in the night, Kagome got the distinct feeling that she was embarrassed again. "Oh okay," she said, searching for another topic. "And where do I sleep?"

"Under the stairs, I'm afraid," replied her companion, truly sounding apologetic. "It has a door and a shelf and a sleeping mat, but nothing else. The last girl who lived there was one of the other servants' daughters. She left to serve a family in town. It's our only empty bed."

"It's alright," Kagome said, thinking longingly of her plush bed at the castle. "It's better than a tree hollow."

Sango turned her head to look at the younger girl. "Is that where they found you?"

"Yeah," replied the princess, feeling a bit abashed in turn. "I didn't know how deep the woods went and got lost." She remembered her hunger then, her stomach giving a sharp pain to punish her for forgetting so long. Kagome wasn't sure how or when servants got their food though, and decided not to mention it.

The other girl guessed her thoughts anyway. "There's a cupboard in the main room of the quarters. The day old bread is kept there, as well as water. Try not to take more than you need. People get sore about that. Every once in awhile there's cheese, although probably not this late in the day. We can take some of that when we get hungry during the day. Besides that, the kitchen and grounds' servants have a bit of porridge in the morning and usually stew in the late afternoon, right before we make the royal family's meal." She paused and scoffed, jerking her head roughly towards the castle. "The castle servants get three meals a day. Good stuff too. Milk and meat! They're really snobby about it too."

"Who cooks their food?"

"Naraku himself," she answered. "He's technically a castle servant himself, even though he works out here. He doesn't live in our quarters, but in the lower levels of the palace like them. As the head cook, he's quite important. It really goes to his head though."

Kagome reached the doorway as Sango paused to light the lantern beside it, as she muttered about worthless groundskeepers. The yellow light cast an eerie glow over the snow covered ground but left the door to the quarters in shadows.

"Come on, I'll show you to your room," she said, pushing open the door.

The inside was dark and smelled of damp and mold. A small fire burned in the middle of the room, but it was so pitiful that Kagome doubted that any warmth was emanating off of it. Thin doorways encircled the space and a stairway led up to a second floor. Underneath, a tiny cupboard door was barely visible. Sango walked to it and pulled it open.

"See? Not much," she said in a dreary sort of way, pointing to a room that Kagome couldn't even see in the dark. It was just a black hole to her. Sango pointed to another door. "The pantry with the bread and stuff is directly across the room. Any questions?"

"Um, no, I don't think so."

The girl smiled softly. "You'll get used to it. Just don't anger Naraku and you should be fine. The demons aren't that bad, even to humans like us. And if you need anything, my room is on the second floor. First one on the right when you come up the stairs. I share it with the two sisters, Kanna and Kagura."

Kagome raised an eyebrow. "Three people in one room?"

"Yeah, of course," laughed Sango. "We're lucky. Most of the girls have to sleep four or five to a room, but Kagura is a favorite of Naraku's."

"A favorite?" questioned the princess, feeling more and more uncomfortable about this head cook and new boss of hers.

Sango shrugged. "Well, I wouldn't call it a favorite, the way he treats her. Like dirt really. Worse than any of the other servants. Some of the others say that they're really mates, that he's marked her as his. And if that's true, that would explain why she takes all the abuse from him. I don't know if it's true, but if it is, I hope she fought like hell before he bit her."

"_Bit_ her?" repeated Kagome, who was beginning to feel little better than a parrot.

The other girl chuckled. "I bet that flea demon of yours could tell you about that. I need to get back though. Naraku will probably yell at me as it is." She turned to walk out the door, but paused and looked back. "I hope you do okay here, Kagome. It's kind of nice having another human girl around."

"Thanks," replied the princess, giving her a genuine smile.

"Don't get yourself in trouble," reminded Sango again before disappearing back into the cold night, letting in a gust of icy wind.

After raiding the pantry for a bit of bread and water, Kagome huddled into her furs and dragged herself into the hole that was now her bedroom. Able to see a bit better in the dark by now, she could tell that this would really be a trial of will to live there. She could imagine the sort of crawling creatures that liked to hide in this tiny room, especially during the cold of winter. Tossing the yellow bag underneath the shelf, she rolled out her bed and arranged her cloak to be her blanket, realizing that she was lucky to have that. The wind was howling outside and although the walls were rather thick and reinforced with clay, she could feel the chill creeping underneath her clothes.

"Princess?"

She turned over carefully. "Yes, Myoga?"

"Are you doing well?" asked the flea, jumping up onto her makeshift blanket.

"Yes, I think so. Sango is very nice. And I had a bit of food, which makes everything seem better. This is kind of a dank little hole though, isn't it?" She waved her hand a bit around in the darkened room.

Myoga looked around, able to see with clarity with his demon eyes. "Indeed, but at least you have it to yourself. Or nearly, if I may impose upon you to sleep on the shelf up there?"

"You'll freeze. Sleep in the furs," argued Kagome.

"And have you roll over on me in the middle of the night and crush the life out of me?" asked Myoga incredulously. " You almost did last night. No, thank you, princess. I'll take my chances. I resist the cold very well."

Kagome nodded her assent. "I thought you weren't supposed to call me 'princess' anymore?"

He jumped over to his place on the shelf, raised above her feet. "I suppose I miss it already."

"Me too." She sighed, resting her head upon her bent arm. "If I was home right now, and if Mother was still alive, I would be with her right now. And we'd be talking about our days in front of that big fireplace she had in her room while she sat in her chair and I sat on the thick rug. And maybe Sota would be there. And servants would come in and give me and him some hot chocolate and those little butter cookies that I loved so much. Mother would have her tea. And she would smell like chamomile and honey for the rest of the evening." She inhaled deeply. "I miss her so much."

"I, as well," murmured Myoga.

Kagome closed her eyes, trying to feel warm while the wind shrieked inches from her head. "Do you think Father will be able to find us here?"

"Even if he knows where we've gone, the king would not dare to cross the border," he reminded her. "Your kingdom cannot afford to go to war with demons."

The girl smiled, her eyes still shut, and murmured a soft agreement. Myoga watched as her breathing began to even out and her fur cloak rose and fell over her body. He hoped that he had told her the truth, and that no one would come after her. He couldn't imagine her father being so bold as to send an army, but an assassin slaughtering a servant girl in the middle of night would barely raise an eyebrow in demon territory, where a different law ruled the land.

Before falling asleep himself, Myoga could only comfort himself with the fact that his young friend was nothing if not adaptable. It was a skill she would need as soon as the sun rose.

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A/N: I hope you enjoyed it! I went through quite a few versions of the beginning of this chapter before settling on this one. If anyone wants to read the original story (at least one version of it) can go to this site: http/ www. pitt. edu/ dash/ grimm065. html – remove the spaces first though. Thanks.

review responses removed due to ban


	3. A Day's Work

A/N: Hey all. This is just a note to tell those of you that usually only read the top author's note that it would be much appreciated if you also read the author's note at the bottom, which is my response to the ban on review responses within chapters. Thanks.

Thousandfurs

Chapter 3: A Day's Work

Kagome stared out over the castle grounds, wrinkling her nose. It was deeply cold, too cold for even snow. Everything was gray, as things were before the dawn. The princess had never been awake this early before, not on purpose. But even if she had tried to sleep through the morning, she wouldn't have been able to in her new home, not with all the servants stamping up and down the stairs over her head, sending blankets of dust upon her.

"Oh… how dreary," she moaned, making her way towards the kitchen and sliding open the door.

"Thousandfurs!" barked Naraku. "You're late, wench!"

Her eyes widened. "But… it's before dawn, Naraku-san."

His own red eyes turned on her. "Yes, Thousandfurs. And that means you're late. Next time you are late, I will throw you out of the castle gates myself."

Kagome lowered her head and curtsied. "Yes, Naraku-san," she murmured.

"Now get to work." He stared at her as she hesitated. "Clean out the ashes, girl! Sweep the floor! Fetch the water! Do _something_ _useful_!"

The princess jumped in fright, grabbed the bucket from next to the door and went back out into the cold. It blistered her skin, forcing her to pull her hood closer to her face. She stood for a moment, lost. She hadn't been to the well yet. Where would it be? It was still too dark to see it, every shape bleeding into the next in the gray of the morning.

"Looking for something?"

Kagome looked around but didn't see anything.

"Down here."

A tiny demon was at her feet. He had an enormously bushy tail that was almost the size of the rest of him. Ruddy brown legs stuck out from his little pair of pants and a crop of red hair was pulled back by a blue ribbon. He was smiling, although his green eyes were studying her intensely.

"Hello," said Kagome. "Are you a fox demon?"

"Yup," he replied, his tail wiggling as he grinned at her. "My name's Shippo and I work in the stable. Who are you?"

She crouched down next to him. "My name is Kagome and I just arrived yesterday to work in the kitchens. I'm afraid I don't know where the well is though, and Naraku will be angry if I take too long. Do you have time to show me where it is?"

"Yeah, no problem. The king never goes out this early and anyone else can wait." He started walking back into the property. "This way."

"Thank you. So, you're the stable boy? I don't mean any offense but…" she trailed off, biting her lip.

He smiled at her. "Yeah, I know I don't look like someone who can handle horses, but I'm really good at it! Really, I am. Prince Inuyasha always makes fun of me, but even he would admit that no one takes care of the barn like I do!"

Kagome looked at the little fox. "He's not very nice," she said quietly.

"Ah, are you Thousandfurs? The one Prince Inuyasha was talking about yesterday?"

The princess scowled, although it was barely visible underneath the soot. "Yes, I am."

"Inuyasha's a real jerk sometimes," said the fox, dropping all formality. "I'm the only servant that was born here, in the castle. My papa fought for the king! So I'm the only one that can make fun of the prince. The king himself said so."

Kagome laughed, the first genuine laugh in weeks. "That is indeed an honor. Are you going to fight for the king one day?"

"Maybe," said Shippo. "It's been a long time since there was a real war, not since the king married the queen. My parents didn't even know each other then. They met when my papa came home. He came home and my grandma had my mama waiting for him right there! Mama said she wanted to mate with a soldier and grandma gave her Papa."

They laughed together as the well came into view. "So, does your father still fight for the king? Is your mother still glad to be with a soldier?"

The little fox stopped smiling. "My mama died a long time ago and my papa died last year. Two brothers killed him when he went out on a border patrol."

"I'm so sorry, Shippo," the girl said, putting down the bucket by the well.

He shrugged. "It's okay. I have the castle. The king took me in, gave me a job. He said that he owed my papa at least that."

Kagome lowered the bucket into the well. She had seen the servants at her own castle do it a hundred times. She was pleased that she could remember it, probably the only chore she knew how to do properly. "It's good to have a place to call home," said the princess. She heard the bucket splash into the water and started to wind it up, groaning when she felt the resistance of the now full bucket.

"Need help?" laughed Shippo. He leapt up to the side of the well and assisted the girl in pulling the bucket up.

"You're very strong for such a young boy," commented Kagome.

He smiled at her as she lifted the bucket again. The water sloshed against her ankles but the fur protected her. "I'm not that young. I bet I'm older than you."

"I'm seventeen. Eighteen come spring."

Shippo jumped down from the well and walked alongside her, back towards the kitchen. "I'm seventy three. I am young, by our standards."

Kagome laughed, shaking her head. "I should have known. I know a flea that's seven hundred years old and still jumping around like… well, a seventy three year old, apparently." She groaned a little, shifting the weight of the bucket from one arm to another. "This is harder than I thought it would be."

"You look strong enough."

"But I'm not," she replied.

"You will be," said Shippo, "after a few weeks here. You'll be as strong as me for awhile, until I grow up, of course. Then I could beat anyone! Fox demons are known for their strength."

Kagome smiled. "Are they? What are dog demons known for then? Like the prince?"

"For being stubborn," said the fox demon, laughing with her. "Have you seen the king yet?"

The princess shook her head. "No, I haven't. Is he a kind king?"

"The best. He says I'm biased though. A lot of the youkai say he shouldn't have mated with a human, but the king always says that if that's the worst they whisper about him, then he's in good shape. And he's fair and always tries to work things out without violence first, unlike most youkai." He looked up at the girl. "What kingdom are you from?"

"The Nakao kingdom," she said softly.

Shippo wrinkled his nose. "I heard that the Nakao king was horrible, especially since the queen died at the beginning of winter. Is there any truth to the rumors?"

Kagome looked at him sharply. "Which rumors would those be?"

"That he wanted to mate with his own daughter. I heard about it from one of the castle servants and he heard it when he was serving dinner to the king. Everyone was talking about it for days, but the king finally said that it was none of our concern what sins the humans practiced amongst themselves."

The princess shrugged. "I… I don't know. I hadn't heard anything of the kind." She saw that Shippo was disappointed. "But he was a horrible man. I think he must have always been horrible, now that I think about it, but his queen kept it in check until she died."

They reached the door of the kitchen. "I have to go back to the stable now," said Shippo.

"Yes, I know. Thank you for your help."

Shippo smiled at her and waved as he scampered away. "I'll see you later, Kagome!"

The princess waved back and slid open the kitchen door, only to be barked at again by Naraku. "Sorry, Naraku-san," she said, not even listening to his yelling. She set down the bucket of water, got a rag and began to wash off the tabletops, so that food could be prepared for breakfast.

"Good morning, Kagome," said Sango, walking up to her with an armful of vegetables.

"Good morning." She grimaced when she came to a glob of fat and carefully washed around it.

Sango laughed. "Um, Kagome… that's not supposed to be there for posterity. Naraku-san will be angry if anything is left on the table."

"But it's gross."

The other girl laughed again and went around the table. "You haven't done this before, have you? Okay, well, you have to actually clean everything off. Here, just watch." She took the rag and washed the rest of the table, rinsing it out in the bucket. She finished and handed the bit of cloth to the girl again. "Now, do that table before Naraku-san murders us with his glare."

Kagome looked at the head chef, who was certainly staring at the girls with angry glint in his eyes. "Alright," she murmured.

"The trick is to work hard enough not to get yelled at, but not hard enough to kill yourself," advised the elder girl. "Then Naraku-san would just yell at the rest of us to get the body out of the kitchen, and that's such a pain in the ass."

The princess laughed and went to another table, washing it much more vigorously than the first one. Sango wandered away to get a knife for chopping as the door opened again, letting in a fierce gust of icy wind. Kagome huddled back into her furs and looked up to see a thin woman with black hair and red eyes enter the kitchen with a dreadfully pale, short girl.

"Kagura! Where the hell have you been?" Naraku stalked across the kitchen, causing every to look at the woman, who looked like she would rather be anywhere than the center of attention.

"Kanna felt ill," she murmured. "I was tending to her."

The head cook looked down at the diminutive girl. "How can you tell when she's ill?" he sneered. "She always looks half dead."

A defiant gleam emerged in the demoness's red eyes. "She _told_ me that she felt ill. I did not want to bring her until I was certain that she was well enough to work."

"Don't speak back to me, wench, or I'll give you more of what you received last night," growled Naraku.

The demoness named Kagura rubbed her forearm. Kagome could have sworn she saw the shadow of a nasty bruise on her wrist, but the kimono fell back over her hand. "Yes, Naraku-san," she murmured. "Now if you could excuse us, we have work."

Naraku grabbed her wrist, making Kagura flinch and confirming Kagome's suspicions. "I mean it, wench," he snarled at her quietly, although everyone could hear it. "You've been getting especially stubborn lately and I will not stand for it. I am your life, Kagura. Don't forget it."

"How can I, with you breathing down my neck – and other places – forget that you control my every movement?" she snapped, prying off his hand and crossing the room to get to work.

Kagome and Sango looked at each other, raising their eyebrows at this display. Naraku seethed for a moment before snapping at everyone to get back to work, which they did instantly to avoid getting his anger directed upon them.

'This is certainly going to be interesting,' mused Kagome as she scrubbed the table.

A grueling thirteen hours later, the princess couldn't think of anything coherently as she stumbled into the servants' quarters. It was long past dark and almost everyone else had gone to sleep. Even Myoga had popped in and told her that he was going to their room. Naraku, who had moved around the kitchen, pointing out bits of dirt and food that she had missed in the evening cleanup had kept Kagome long past dinner. She had scrubbed the tables, counters, floors and pots all at least three times. Kagura had watched, hunched over on her stool in the corner, making marks in some ledger that the princess supposed was the kitchen's accounts.

She looked down at her hands. They were almost clean from dunking them in the water pail all night. Naraku hadn't commented, but she saw him watching her carefully. Kagome knew what he was thinking, that her hands were not the hands of a laborer. She could only hope that he wouldn't be too curious.

Sighing, she went over to the fire in the middle of the room. It was only glowing embers in the midst of ashes. Someone was supposed to keep alive all the time, Sango had told her that afternoon during their meal, but demons really didn't feel the cold so they let it die. They were the only two humans and no one would go out of their way for them.

Kagome knelt beside the fire and scoop up the ashes in her hands, rubbing them into her arms and her face, where sweat had left streaks. She felt caked in dirt, a new experience for her, but she was surprised at how quickly she got used to it. At least she would not have any trouble cleaning out the kitchen hearths in the morning.

She went to the pantry, pouring some water for herself from the massive jug and grabbing a crust of bread, gobbling both in a very undignified way. She couldn't believe how little the servants lived on, although they seemed to be content about it. No one ever said anything against the king at mealtimes so far, although much was said about Naraku when he wasn't within earshot. Accustomed to palace gossip, Kagome didn't really listen. She had been so tortured by it when she was at her old home, although she had to admit that the things they said about Naraku were interesting, if not disturbing.

The main door slid open and Kagome turned to see an exhausted Kagura step in. "Good evening," she said, before she could stop herself.

The demoness stiffened and looked at her out of the corner of her eye. "Good evening," she replied shortly.

There was an awkward pause. "Is your sister feeling alright?" asked Kagome.

"Yes. She was just a bit overworked and needed a few more minutes of sleep." She eyed the princess warily. "Don't ask me about Naraku. I am sick of the questions."

Kagome leaned down to place her dirty cup in the bin. "I wasn't even thinking of it. Your business is your own."

Kagura lifted an eyebrow. "I thought humans were supposed to be meddlesome."

The princess shrugged. "You live with Sango, so surely you know that we're not all the same."

"Sango is… different," the demoness murmured. "She has been here for so long that I'm beginning to think she is turning into one of us. She is more resilient than many of the youkai here. And I like her very much, but to tell the truth, I don't get very many chances to speak with her. We all work very hard."

"I've noticed that," said Kagome.

Kagura nodded and then made her way across the floor towards the stairs. "I'll tell Sango to wake you each morning," she said. "You can't come late again. Naraku always makes good on his threats."

The princess bowed her head. "I know. Thank you. It would be appreciated."

The demoness disappeared up to the second floor. Kagome finished another piece of bread and went to her cupboard under the stairs. Myoga was sleeping on the shelf, wrapped in a scrap of cloth no bigger than the palm of her hand. Kagome settled down, using her arm as a pillow, and was asleep within moments.

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Days passed by quickly. Kagome found herself being braced by the wind instead of defeated by it. Waking up in the morning wasn't so difficult. Her work was done faster, letting her sleep earlier. Naraku still yelled at her, but she found that it was becoming less intimidating, because he yelled at everyone, regardless of the quality of their work. Carrying water was easier, cleaning the kitchen wasn't as revolting, and the ashes from the fire kept her covered.

Sango was quickly becoming her dearest human friend, something that Myoga was beginning to resent a bit. The flea, however, could talk of their home and of their shared past, which Kagome treasured more than the little demon could imagine. Other than Sango, the princess was surprised to discover that both Kagura and Kanna would willingly speak to her on a regular basis, as long as Naraku wasn't around. She found Kagura to be very witty, in a sarcastic sort of way, when she wasn't feeling beaten down by the head cook. Kanna, on the other hand, scared Kagome a bit. She was cold and quiet and had an aura of knowing things she shouldn't know, but the princess was still grateful for any friendship she could get. Most of the staff simply ignored her, or gave her short orders when Naraku was out.

Every once in awhile she would see Inuyasha, so easily spotted against the greenery in his apple red haori. She would slow down, with the water bucket in her hands, and watch as he walked to or from the stables with Miroku or alone. He never wandered around the gardens, although he often went to the dojo next to the stables, at least once a day.

Once, she saw the king and queen, walking together in the garden. That time, she had stopped and openly stared at the pair. She had never seen two people who appeared so in love. The servants, even the guards, had to keep back as the monarchs meandering along the paths with hands joined. She would smile when the king would lean close to his mate. Her parents had never acted that way. They hadn't even walked together that Kagome could remember.

Although she was happy to see such a happy pair of lovers, afterwards her heart felt heavy for days. When she could not shake her melancholy, she sought out Sango.

"They are lovely together, aren't they?" sighed the older girl as they scrubbed pots in the coolest corner of the kitchen. The warm colors of the fire still danced over their features, mixing with the colder tones of the oil lamps. Everyone looked like jack-o-lanterns in the light, with their eyes deep set and their mouths heavily shadowed.

"Yes. I can't see them too well, but I can feel it. I can actually feel how much they love one another," Kagome replied. "It must be so nice to have love like that."

The girl nodded. "The king deserves it. His first mate died many years ago. Centuries before we were born. They say he loved her, but it was a political marriage and it was the love of friends. When she died, the king really wasn't interested in finding another mate, but then he met Princess Izayoi and he definitely changed his mind."

"Enough to fight a war for her," commented the princess.

Sango smiled. "Yes. It's rather romantic if you don't think about all the demons and humans that died. Really, the humans blame the king for starting the war over the queen, but it was about so much more than that. Things hadn't been going well between the two races for ages and when the king mated with Izayoi-sama, the human kings decided to go ballistic and invade."

"He could have given her back to her father," pointed out Kagome. "It is romantic, but it's war, all the same."

"The king would rather have died, I think," Sango said thoughtfully. "He loved her so much and the queen didn't want to go back either. She is very beautiful. I don't think I can fault the king for adhering to her wishes."

Kagome smiled sadly. "Perhaps that's why the sight depressed me so deeply. Not that I'd ever want it on my conscience, but I'll never marry a man who would start a war for me."

Sango laughed, putting aside one pot for another. "Not many girls will. Don't get depressed about it, Kagome. You'll find someone."

The princess looked down at her fur-covered body and blackened arms. She knew that looked and smelled a fright. "Somehow, I don't have your optimism, Sango."

"If you just washed that stuff off," argued the other girl, grabbing Kagome's arm. She pointed to a soft bit of pale skin shining through on her palm. "Why do you cover up your skin?"

"Maybe I'm just that grimy," said Kagome, laughing softly and pulling away her arm.

Sango turned serious, picking up a rag again to scrub a difficult spot. "No, I've seen you at night, when I wanted water. You smear ashes on yourself. Why?"

"My beauty regimen?" she offered. Seeing that Sango wasn't laughing, Kagome shrugged. "It's really not a big deal. Please let it go."

The other servant frowned, but nodded. "Alright, but I'm warning you that secrets are hard to keep around here." The frown faded to be replaced with a soft smile. "You are my friend though, Kagome. If you ever do want to tell me, I'll willingly listen."

The princess smiled back as she rinsed out her rag. "You'll be the first to know."

"Thousandfurs!"

The sharp bark made both of the girls jump. "Yes, Naraku-san?" said the princess, rising to her feet. The warmth of the kitchen fire had made her feel sleepy and comfortable, and she was shocked at how one man's voice could so easily shatter her pleasant moment. "Is there something wrong, Naraku-san?" she prodded politely, as the demon just stared at her balefully.

"What have you done, you miserable little animal?" he snarled.

"No-nothing, Naraku-san!" she squeaked, seeing that he was holding a switch of birch wood. "I swear it!"

He stepped forward, pointing his favored instrument of punishment at her. She had so far avoided a lashing, but she had seen the welts it left on others – demons, no less – and she had no desire to see the results on her human skin. "You have been ordered to the throne room to meet the king and the queen."

"You're kidding," she said, not thinking before she spoke.

"I am _not_," he growled in return. "Now get out of my sight. I don't expect that you'll return."

Kagome traded a look with Sango, who could only give her a sympathetic smile. She began to walk across the kitchen, easily ignoring the stares. With her hand on the door, the soot-covered girl turned back to her glowering boss. "Excuse me, Naraku-san, but I do not know where to go. I don't want to be late meeting the king."

The chef stalked over to her, grabbed her elbow and dragged her outside. "You are a pest, Thousandfurs," he said. "I will gladly come to see you kicked out of the castle by the king himself. What did you do? Steal a jewel of the queen's?"

"Naraku-san, when could I have done such a thing? I work from morning until night. I enjoy my sleep too much to spoil it for a bauble of the queen's," she pointed out, panting slightly as he carted her towards the palace.

He turned his red eyes to her. "One of those jewels would be beyond your wildest dreams, you animal. And you're trying to convince me that you do not care?"

Naraku wrenched open the door and pulled her down the hallway. "Please, Naraku-san," said Kagome. "May we slow down? You're hurting me."

"I thought you said you didn't want to be late, Thousandfurs," he said with a sadistic smile. Nevertheless, he slowed down and released her arm, which was surely red underneath the soot. He clasped his hands behind his back and walked alongside her with his head held high. Kagome tried not to be frightened by her superior's strange, rapidly shifting behavior. Instead, she inspected her surroundings with the practiced eye of a princess who had been in more nobility manors than she cared to remember.

It was lovely. She had never seen such strength in such delicate details. The hallways were wide and spacious, with ceilings interspersed with thick dark oak beams. Everything was lit by tiny oil lamps made of gold, which spread the light across the murals on the walls. Kagome could see that these were not the doodles of some distracted artist, but planned carefully. Branches of cherry blossoms danced across the walls, with the occasional bird. Everything was in gold and chocolate brown. Kagome felt as if she was in the presence of true beauty.

They walked along the oak floors towards the front of the castle. Few youkai passed them, usually servants and once a pair of guards coming off duty. Unlike the kitchen staff, these demons were clean and freshly clothed. Although not the angelic, pale creatures she had imagined them to be, they were graceful, exotic and strong.

"What is the king's given name, Naraku-san?" asked Kagome. "I have heard that his wife is called Izayoi, but I have never heard the king's name."

"First off, wench, they're mates, not husband and wife. Demons don't conform to your strange, emotionally frail traditions like marriage. Mating bonds are stronger than such ridiculous displays. Secondly, servants of your inferior rank do not speak the king's name in normal conversation. His given name is too precious to be spoken by filth like you."

Kagome clenched her jaw, refusing to give into her desire to bite back. She thanked Kami when they finally stopped in front of a large door with what she recognized as a royal seal painted upon it. Plumes of what looked like smoke encircled a great sword, all painted in the same color blue as the uniforms of the guards. Various names were inscribed on the blade of the sword, which Kagome guessed to be the names of the great kings of the Taisho kingdom.

Two guards stood by the door, one moving quickly to slide it open. "They are waiting for you, Naraku-san," he murmured.

The head cook stepped into the room before her, not even looking back to see if the princess was following. When Kagome finally got a clear view of the throne room, her mouth fell open. It was _massive_. The vaulted ceiling made her feel so inconsequential as she looked at the slim tables lining each wall. They had nothing on them at the moment except oil lamps, but she could smell the scent of old paper, the musty aroma scrolls got when they sat in slightly damp places.

"Your Majesty," fawned Naraku, walking forward and bowing at the same time. "It is an honor to be summoned to your presence."

Kagome finally looked at the king and queen, seated at the far end of the room on an elaborate mat and a low table before them set with tea. She caught her breath. This was what royalty should look like, she was certain. The king was white haired like his son, but it was pulled back into a high knot and he had no trace of dog ears. The only sign of his non-human nature was the unnatural beauty of his high cheekbones and shining golden eyes. His queen was much more clearly human, but Kagome didn't know that humans could be so exquisite. Her hair was raven black and pooled on the ground behind her, while her large brown eyes followed every movement with a gentle glow. They were leaning towards one another and the princess was certain that their hands were clasped as usual.

The king looked up at his pair of visitors, smiling softly at the girl. "Well then, you are the one that my son has been talking about? Thousandfurs, I believe he calls you?"

She got to her knees beside Naraku and bowed with all the grace she could muster. "Yes, Your Majesty."

"Ah, and what's your real name? The one you prefer?"

Kagome smiled, thinking that from the king, 'Thousandfurs' didn't sound too bad. "My given name is Kagome, Your Majesty."

"A very pretty name," said the queen.

The princess blushed from the attention. "Thank you, Your Majesty."

The king beckoned to her. "Come here, little one, let me get a look at you." He smiled as she hesitated. "I won't bite, Kagome. It's just so rare to have a human on our castle grounds that I like to speak with any that do come, especially those that work for us. And my queen does miss her people sometimes. It comforts her to know that you are here."

Kagome got up and stepped quietly to the place beside the king and knelt again, her chin tucked into her chest. She wasn't afraid of him, not any more than a human should be frightened of a powerful demon anyway, but she knew her place. Even as a human princess, she would have treated this youkai king with the greatest of respect.

He put two clawed fingers on her chin and lifted her head to look into her eyes. "Are you happy here?" he asked.

She thought for a moment. "I do not feel entirely at home here, among demons who until a few weeks ago, I had never encountered, but my life is so much better than what it was before I came. So yes, Your Majesty, I am happy."

The king took away his hand, giving a brief glance to the soot now on his fingers. "Your Majesty," said Naraku, "allow me to get some water to clean the ashes off."

"Come off it, Naraku," said the king, letting his hand rest on his knee. "A little dirt isn't going to hurt me in any way."

"Forgive me, sire, but she is filthy and might have some sickness," protested the demon chef. Kagome noticed with a chill that although his words were concerned, his eyes said nothing of the kind. They were hungry and barbaric.

The great dog demon set his jaw. "The only thing plaguing this girl is poverty, Naraku, and that is not contagious. In fact, it is something that her employment here should remedy. And even if she did possess some disease, do you really believe that what wouldn't kill a small human girl would destroy a youkai of my health?"

"Of course not, Your Majesty."

He looked serious for a moment more and then smiled at Kagome. "Naraku believes that you could be a spy, my girl."

"From where, Your Majesty?" asked the princess, frowning a bit.

"Well, I expect that's what he wanted us to ask you," said the queen, laughing. "_Are_ you a spy, my dear?"

"Careful with your answer," said the king, his eyes shining in amusement. He tapped the side of his nose. "I can sniff out a lie from a mile away."

Kagome shook her head. "I'm not a spy, Your Majesty."

The royal couple laughed again. "Good girl," said the king. "You may go now. Miroku should be outside. Will you send him in? Naraku, stay for a moment."

The princess got to her feet and bowed as she backed up. The queen smiled at her, but the king's eyes had turned to the head cook and were as serious as she had seen him during their short meeting. Bowing once more, she turned and left the room. Miroku was there, as the king had said he would be, chatting with the guards.

"Ah, Kagome!" greeted the diplomat. "How have things been in the kitchen?"

She curtsied. "Very good, my lord."

He looked up at the door to the throne room in surprise, as if he had just noticed where they were standing. "Were you visiting the king and queen?" he asked.

"I was, my lord. The king asked me to send you in. Naraku-san is in there as well."

The diplomat grinned and rocked back on his heels. "Is he? I wondered why the king sent for me two hours before my report was due. If you hadn't noticed when you were in there, the king doesn't care for Naraku very much. I've never seen a demon brown-nose as much as that damned cook. I expect I'm meant to save the king from a tedious conversation with him." He winked at her. "I am sorry I haven't visited you, Kagome. It's been a rather hectic couple of weeks, diplomatically speaking."

Kagome bit her lip. "Excuse me, my lord, but shouldn't you be going into the throne room? The king is waiting for you after all."

Miroku gave her a rather patronizing smile. "Now, now, Kagome, are you already tired of my presence?"

"No, my lord, but the king…"

"Will be just fine, I'm sure," said the diplomat. He lowered his voice and leaned closer to her. "Truth be told, I leave them together as often as I can, for as long as I can without getting yelled at because I hope that the king will finally fire that old pest. No such luck so far, but I haven't lost hope yet!"

Kagome shook her head with a small smile. "But why do you want to get rid of him, my lord?"

"Did I ever mention that I come from a long line of monks?" he asked. When she shook her head again, he continued. "Well, I do. And although I have broken that tradition by becoming a diplomat, I still know a rotten egg when I see one. And Naraku is rotten. I just haven't caught him at it yet, nothing that would get him kicked out anyway. Do you see?"

"Yes, my lord," she replied.

Miroku gave a sharp nod. "Good, then you can help me. If you see anything suspicious around the kitchens, will you tell me?"

Kagome bit her lip. "I will, my lord, but I should tell you right now that Naraku has no kindness towards me. I know he wouldn't trust me enough to do anything illegal in front of me."

"Well, just keep a look out, that's all I ask," he said distractedly, instead watching a shapely female walk past with some bedding. "Excuse me."

The princess stayed in her spot as the diplomat disappeared around the corner after the servant. Two seconds later, a smack of flesh against flesh rang through the air, sounding distinctly painful. Three seconds after that, the diplomat stumbled back into view, holding his now red cheek tenderly. "Youkai females have such life in them," he said in reply to Kagome's scandalized look. "Ah, well, I suppose I should be going in now. Have a good day, Kagome."

"Thank you, my lord," she said, curtseying again and trying to get over her surprise. Myoga was right. The diplomat was a pervert.

Kagome decided that she should think about this new twist in Miroku's personality on the way back to the kitchens, rather than risk having Naraku discover her dallying outside of the throne room. Especially since he apparently considered her a spy. That one she would never figure out.

She reached the intersection of two corridors and paused. Each one looked the same and she couldn't remember which path she had taken from the kitchen. Naraku had dragged her much too quickly and all she had to show for it were five finger-sized bruises on her arm. Deciding that the left path was the most familiar, she turned and began to walk much slower. Soon, another intersection daunted her. She chose to go right, towards the back of the castle. Three turns later, she was completely lost and no one was about to help.

Rounding a corner, the princess's heart sank. Looking at the wide, brightly lit hallway, she knew she was now in the residential quarter of the castle, somewhere that she should never be as a kitchen servant. She must have come up the back way, although she couldn't really remember how. Her only consolation was that a castle servant was bound to be in this section.

Suddenly, at the other end of the corridor, Prince Inuyasha appeared with a sword slung over his shoulder. They both froze, looking at one another. The prince was the first to recover.

"What are you doing up here? Furry animals like you aren't allowed in my quarters, Thousandfurs," he said with a sneer.

"Forgive me, your highness. I was lost," she replied, bowing slightly.

His golden eyes, so much like his father's and yet without their warmth, swept over her figure. "Keh, whatever, just get out of here. You stink up the place."

Kagome scowled, but didn't let loose the retort on the tip of her tongue. "I don't know how to get back, your highness. I'm _lost_."

"Don't be impertinent," snapped Inuyasha.

Wondering how such a horrid creature had learned such a long word as 'impertinent', Kagome crossed her arms. "Please, _your highness_, if you just tell me how to leave, I will _more_ than happy to do so!"

"Turn straight around, go down the stairs and take two lefts," he said shortly. "Now leave."

"Gladly, sire," she muttered, giving him the barest hint of a bow that she could muster. She went back the way she came, trying to pay more attention this time. "That dog needs a collar," the princess said aloud as she finally escaped the castle.

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A/N: Okay kids, so the site has now officially banned review responses within chapters. Rumors about this have been circulating for months, but now we have word from the top. I think that this is a step to prevent authors from having two hundred words of story and two thousand words of review response. I think it's rather unfair to the rest of us, but as you all know, I abide by the rules set forth by this site. I WILL be replying to all the reviews that I can via the site (I'll get to the ones for this chapter soonish). So if you are signed in, I will definitely respond to your review. If you aren't a registered member of the site, well you should be! Just kidding, sort of. I'll respond to the unsigned reviews that I can (i.e. those of you who leave your email address). Please understand though that this is actually a way bigger hassle for me. I enjoyed sitting and answering everyone's reviews at the end of each of my chapters, but emailing individuals is even more time consuming. Please, if you don't get an email back for your unsigned review, don't get mad! I'm a busy girl, just about to go into the real world (marriage and a job), so take pity. Thanks. I've already deleted previous review responses for _Thousandfurs _and _The Broken House of Taisho_. Even _The Broken Miko_. It was quite sad… Thanks again for all of your understanding and support, and know that I do think this is a ridiculous ban, because I love you all and I want to give you the attention you deserve.


	4. The Diplomat

Thousandfurs

Chapter 4: The Diplomat

Miroku sat on his heels in front of the king and queen, the tea table between them. The monarchs were quietly watching him as they finished their dinner. He was disturbed by their silence, a change from the queen's warm words and the king's attentiveness. The guards had been excused from the room, leaving the diplomat more nervous than he had been in the king's presence for awhile. He was certainly a benevolent sovereign, but he was still a demon and could tend towards some awful displays of temper.

Finally, the king set down his bowl. "Is your report ready, Miroku?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," he said, bowing his head.

"Am I going to like it?"

Miroku lifted his head, thrown by the odd question. "Um, no. I don't think so, Your Majesty."

The monarchs looked at one another. The queen smiled softly at her mate and placed a small hand on his knee. "We have an idea of what you will say, Miroku," she said, looking at her human friend. "Please forgive the king though, because it still disturbs him."

"Of course, my queen," he murmured to the gracious lady. Izayoi could have asked the diplomat to jump off a cliff and try to fly and he would have done it though. People believed that this was because of his penchant for beautiful women, but that wasn't true. Miroku respected the king and the queen far too much to do anything that would question Izayoi's power. For him, it was sort of like being appreciative of the perfect sunset: you're just happy to be in its presence.

The king took a deep breath. "Very well, begin."

"You were correct in your suspicions, Your Majesty," Miroku began. "The Nakao kingdom has had an abnormal amount of activity in their ranks in the past couple of weeks. I have received intelligence from several demon kingdoms less… _scrupulous_ than the Taisho kingdom about their spies' reports. The human kingdoms are getting restless as well. No one is quite sure what the king is up to."

"Could it have anything to do with the rumors I've been hearing?" said the queen. "All those horrible things about the king and his daughter?"

Miroku frowned a bit. "I don't believe so, Your Majesty. For one, it is just that – rumor. And for another, if the rumors were true, the girl has probably already lost her freedom. The Nakao king was never known for being patient, even in the days of his first wife. Forgive me, my queen, but I would like to know what connection you see between a corrupt king's marriage and the mobilization of his troops?"

She shrugged. "I don't. It's just an unusual coincidence don't you think? It's such a disgusting act, perhaps he believes other kingdoms will react?"

The king raised an eyebrow. "I suppose it is possible. Particularly after the last time a princess was supposedly taken by force," he said, exchanging a meaningful glance with his mate.

The queen placed her hand in his. "They were mistaken that time. But that poor girl might have to actually submit to her own father. It disgraces his throne. It disgraces humanity!" She squeezed her mate's fingers. "Perhaps we should help her?"

"We cannot," replied the king, looking at her with regret. "It is none of our concern what the humans do with themselves."

"I am human," said the queen simply.

He smiled at her. "You have not been truly human for several decades, my love. In fact, our friend Miroku is on the cusp of becoming one of us as well. We'll need a new diplomat soon enough. The humans don't like it when their liaison becomes one of the enemy."

Miroku blinked several times. "Um… yeah. Alright."

"Snap out of it, my friend," laughed the king. "You knew it would happen soon enough."

The queen cleared her throat. "We're forgetting ourselves. What about the Nakao princess?"

"She's been lost to civilized society," said the king, frowning again. "We cannot interfere in a legal wedding between two humans. They may have interfered with us, but we play by different rules. We have honor that they do not possess."

"Even so… that little girl…"

"The Nakao kingdom is extremely xenophobic," pointed out Miroku. "They don't even like non-Nakao humans within their borders. That is why it is so hard to know the truth of what goes on there. Console yourself, my queen, with the thought that we may have completely incorrect information about the entire situation."

Izayoi nodded and took a sip of her tea. "There must be a diplomat for the Nakao kingdom though. A demon counterpart to you and the other human diplomats for each demon kingdom."

Miroku bowed his head. "Yes, a flea demon was sent there fifteen years ago to replace the last one, who left because the Nakao king never listened to him. He was told that he would have minimal contact with the outside world and he would be less of a diplomat and more like an advisor to the king. He was even warned that the king would probably not listen to him, but the flea chose to take the job. No one else would do it, but our ancient laws demand that there must be a liaison. No one has heard from him since he left. Only reports from a few nobles that have managed to escape the Nakao kingdom's tyranny have been able to tell us that he lives. And they are very hesitant to speak about their lives there, as you can imagine."

The king frowned and looked over at his mate, who still appeared disturbed. "Enough of what we cannot influence. What of the Nakao army mobilization?"

"They haven't crossed any borders, Your Majesty, not even into another human territory," reported the diplomat. "We may be worrying about nothing, of course. He may just be going through some war games."

"And why does a kingdom at peace need to run war games?" questioned the king.

"Agreed, but what can we do?" responded Miroku. "Until he crosses a border, it is strictly an internal affair. Of course, we will watch them closely."

The king nodded once. "Very closely. Station extra regiments along our shared border. Not in sight, naturally. Send the forest youkai if possible and make sure that they have some swift runners with them, just in case."

Miroku silently noted that it was probably a good thing that he was becoming immortal, because the king was beginning to push his job description past just 'diplomat' and into 'advisor'. "Yes, Your Majesty. I will take care of it." He paused and looked at the serious monarch. "Do you really think they would be so foolish as to attack the Taisho kingdom?"

"The current Nakao king has never experienced the devastation of a full blown war with youkai," said the sovereign. "So, yes, I believe that he could be that foolish."

"Overconfidence," murmured the queen, shaking her head. "We have seen it before."

The king set his jaw. "They were fools."

"They thought they were trying to protect me from the big, bad demon who had stolen me," she replied with a small smile.

"Perhaps if they had asked you, they would have realized their mistake," retorted the monarch. "It was overconfidence on their part, certainly. I hope that the Nakao kingdom does not repeat the mistakes of the past." He sighed and leaned back from the table. "I think that you can go, Miroku. If the situation changes, I want an immediate report."

The diplomat stood up and bowed to the royal pair. "Yes, Your Majesty." He began to move away, when the king cleared his throat. "My king?" he asked, turning back.

"If you stick me with Naraku for that long again, Miroku, I will be _very_ displeased," said the king with a threatening quirk of his brow. "You have not yet given me compelling evidence that he is up to no good, my friend. Secure that and I'll be willing to overlook his excellent bread soup."

Miroku tried not to turn beet red and failed miserably. "Yes, Your Majesty." He bowed another time and escaped before the king could capture him again, listening to the queen laugh softly as he closed the door.

Shaking his head clear of his embarrassment, the diplomat moved through the corridors. He needed to get out of the castle for a few moments, after all the reports he had sifted through to present to the king. He would never tell the great monarch, but it was becomingly increasingly clear that youkai were capable of just as much bullshit as humans, and they were equally desperate for the attention of a monarch. He laughed as he remembered one report he had heard third hand that said the princess of the Nakao kingdom had demanded a kimono made of diamonds for her wedding kimono.

"The things they come up with," he muttered.

He left the warm, cream and chocolate colored castle and went into the icy wind of the back gardens. It seeped right through his winter robes and he took comfort in the fact that the stable kept a few extra cloaks just for him. Demons didn't feel the cold of course.

"Shippo?" He stepped into the stable, sighing as wind let up.

"Lord Miroku!" chirped a voice from above.

The diplomat looked up to the second level of the stable, where the hay was kept dry. "Who's looking good today, Shippo?"

The little fox demon appeared at the top of the ladder. "Well, Iva was eating well this morning, so she's feeling good. And Kanaye is always ready to go. A lot of them are chilled though. I wasn't in last night and the other guys didn't put enough blankets on them."

Miroku nodded, well aware of Shippo's barely suppressed disdain for the other stable boys. "No one can take care of them like you, little fox," said the diplomat. "I'll take Kanaye then. What about Raidon though?"

Shippo scooted down the ladder and began to gather the tack. "Inuyasha-sama's got him out right now. He just left a few minutes ago." He went to the stallion Miroku had chosen and began to brush him. "May I ask, my lord, why do you and Inuyasha-sama always want Raidon? He's a fine horse, but we have many just as good."

"Well," began the diplomat as he wiped down his saddle, "Raidon is a beautiful horse and beautiful women are attracted to that." He laughed at Shippo's wrinkled nose. "You'll learn how valuable that is one day, my little friend."

The fox didn't look convinced. "Okay, well why does Inuyasha-sama like Raidon?"

"Raidon is the son of Ryu," said Miroku, nodding towards the massive horse at the other end of the barn. Even in the poor light, the males could see the outline of the twenty hand high monster of a stallion that only the king could ride and only Shippo could manage. "Also, Raidon is the horse that Inuyasha was riding when he met the princess for the first time, although he would never say it."

"Kikyo," murmured the fox. "Forgive me, my lord, but who cares? Kikyo is…" He trailed off and bit his lip as he continued to brush down Kanaye.

"A royal bitch," finished Miroku with a frown. "I know. We all know it. I think even Inuyasha knows it now, but I also believe he still loves her, in his own way."

Shippo sighed and began to saddle up the stallion. He would never understand the royals and their affairs. He was rescued from his bad memories by a fresh scent entering the barn, a familiar one that made him smile. He popped up onto Kanaye's head. "Kagome!"

The furry creature smiled. "Hello, Shippo." She spotted the diplomat and curtsied. "Good evening, my lord. I did not expect to see you again today."

Miroku grinned. "Well, that report I told you about was more work than I thought, so I decided to take a ride and clear my head."

"A wise idea," she replied. "Shippo, I hope I'm not interrupting your work. I finished my cleaning early, so I decided to visit."

"No problem," said the fox. "Sit down. I'm almost done here. But I can believe that Naraku let you out."

Kagome blushed a bit underneath her soot. "Well, he wasn't there to ask, really."

"Skiving off of work, is he?" asked Miroku.

The girl lowered her eyes. "No, my lord, I don't think so. He said that he had to talk with the guards' cook about some large feast coming up. I don't want to get anyone in trouble though, if that's not true."

"Damn," muttered the diplomat. When Kagome gave him an alarmed look, he shook his head. "No, you didn't do anything. Naraku must have been discussing the king's birthday feast. I had forgotten it was coming up so soon."

Kagome's eyes lit up. "So it's true? I heard a couple servants talking about the winter feast, but I couldn't really hear too much."

Miroku went over to the stall and stroked Kanaye's nose as he led him out. "Unfortunately, it's true. It won't be fun for you, Kagome. It's a lot of work for the servants. It's a lot of work for me too. All of the royalty and nobles from the surrounding kingdoms come to honor the king's birthday each winter. It's a diplomatic nightmare."

"I thought it would be the perfect forum for improved relations between everyone."

The diplomat sighed. "Normally, I would welcome the opportunity, but the human royalty comes as well. Although the Taisho kingdom continually tries to improve relations, the rest of the youkai aren't so inclined. As a supposedly neutral party, the diplomats from each kingdom are supposed to keep the peace."

Kagome's heart dropped. "Human kings come to this then?" she asked, trying to keep her voice steady.

"Well, not many of them," admitted Miroku as he grabbed a thick winter cloak from the wall. "There are only two major human kingdoms nearby. Princess Kikyo will come with her retinue of course, as a representative of the Kobayashi kingdom. The Nakao kingdom doesn't even get an invitation, considering their constant hostilities against us. Sometimes, some nobles from other human kingdoms arrive, but that's rare."

Her heart beating again, Kagome smiled. She remembered the feasts from her days as a princess, where everyone glittered with jewels and silk. They moved like tropical birds, chattering and graceful as they danced and ate fine meals. She could recall her mother poring over every detail of the preparations, remembering each guest individually. Sometimes, she would help the queen make the soup or dessert. "I think I'll enjoy it, even if I am stuck in the kitchen."

"Whatever you say, Kagome," said the diplomat. He mounted Kanaye and smiled at her and Shippo. "Have fun, you two. Try not to burn down the stable."

He rode out into the wintry gardens and Kagome sat down on a small bench, shivering as Shippo closed the barn door behind him. "So what really brought you here, Kagome?" he asked as he moved to clean up Kanaye's stall. "You're not done with work."

"How did you know?" she asked, her eyes wide.

He tapped his nose. "Not as good as a dog demon's, but I can smell a bit of deception. Especially from you. Not used to lying, are you?"

"Not especially," she admitted. "I just needed to get out of there. Everyone was asking me what the king and queen wanted with me when they called me to the throne room. They weren't accepting that they didn't want anything really. They just wanted to meet me. At least that's what they said, you know? But they didn't believe me!"

"Whoa, whoa," said Shippo, holding up his hands. "I believe you. I believe you. I mean, what does the kitchen staff know? What the king likes to eat, and that's about it."

Kagome giggled and nodded. "You're right. Thank you."

Shippo grinned at his new friend. "Most of the kitchen is only interested in gossip. Don't get me wrong, I am too. There's not a lot to do around here except work and gossip but sometimes they look for it when it's not there."

"I'm getting that feeling," she replied, hugging herself. "It's suffocating sometimes."

"Well, you should have a day off soon after the feast. The king usually does that, to give the staff a break."

Kagome shrugged and looked down at the hay strewn ground. "Where would I go though? A day off just means that I sleep in and wander around the grounds. Not very exciting, especially if you or Sango don't have the same day off."

The little fox appeared thoughtful for a moment. "I'll ask the king for the same day off and I'll try to think of something to do. I'll take you on a tour of the city!"

She laughed. "Alright, that might be fun. It's a date."

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Miroku sighed in defeat as the snow began to fall on his shoulders. It looked as if the storm was coming faster than he had expected. Pulling up the cloak around his ears, he tried to keep on the path. He was from the north kingdoms, where foolish people froze to death quite often on the roads. Although he had barely gotten out of the city gates, the diplomat wheeled his horse around and began to head back. He would rest back in his room, in front of a warm fire, where the only threat was burning his tongue on hot tea.

"Oy! Pervert!"

The diplomat turned in his saddle to see Inuyasha riding up to him. "My prince," he murmured in greeting. "How are you?"

"Warmer than you," replied the prince, laughing. "Who gave you that cloak? Thousandfurs?"

"No, it's from the stable. You know, she's a very nice girl," said Miroku, frowning a bit as they began to ride back together. "You shouldn't be so cruel."

The prince scoffed. "Right, whatever." He gave him a critical gaze. "So what are you doing out here? My mother didn't send you to find me, did she?"

"Not everything is about you, Inuyasha," said the diplomat. "I was clearing my head."

The hanyou raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong with you?"

Miroku shrugged as they went back through the city gates that he had left a few minutes earlier. "Nothing. Work." He looked at his best friend. "By the way, you have some princely duties to attend to. Your father mentioned it as soon as I saw him this evening."

Inuyasha's ears fell back against his skull. "I'd rather not. And whose side are you on anyway?"

"Yours," said the diplomat, "but one of my main concerns is the relations of this kingdom with the others. Choosing a mate would help us all enormously. Besides, the continuation of the line is important to demons, or so I hear."

"What am I supposed to do, Miroku?" the half demon snapped. "Just pick a girl at random? The only one that I ever wanted…" He trailed off and looked down, at the back of his stallion's neck.

A stab of pain went through the diplomat's heart. "I should tell you… she's coming to the feast. So is Prince Kouga."

Inuyasha slumped down in his saddle, ignoring the looks he got from the few demons in the cold streets. "Great. The girl that rejected me and my worst enemy. Please tell me that my brother isn't coming."

"Well, he hasn't sent word that he is," said Miroku, "but he hasn't sent word that he isn't either. He always comes. Come on, Inuyasha, is that really so bad? You know, he hates Kouga just as much as you do and he's not a fan of any human girl, especially Kikyo. Maybe he can be an ally this time. You haven't fought as much in the past years."

"Really, to have only knives instead of swords at each other's throats… that would be an improvement in me and Sesshoumaru's relationship."

Miroku rolled his eyes. "Don't you think you're exaggerating a bit?"

"No."

"I give up." He nodded to the gate guards as they went through to the castle. "I will tell you one thing, Inuyasha. Your father is beginning to consider arranging the whole thing."

The prince closed his eyes, flattening his ears again. "Great. Now not only will this kingdom hate me, but whatever kingdom Father can con a princess out of will resent me too. And she'll detest me on top of it all."

"Maybe if you weren't rude to every female that crossed your path, the girl your father chooses will come to actually like you, maybe even love you."

"Do you think that really matters to me?" scoffed Inuyasha.

Miroku nodded. "Yes I do."

The prince made a rude noise and looked away for a moment before turning back sharply. "I'm not going to act like you, hitting on every female I meet."

The diplomat smiled as they approached the stable doors. He got down to open it up. "Women. They have such passion," he sighed, tugging open the heavy door. Gasps came from within the dimly lit barn as the cold air rushed in. Miroku squinted. "Kagome? You still here? Sorry about the wind."

His eyes adjusted to reveal the fur-cloaked girl sitting down on the bench, across the aisle from the fox demon, perched upon a stall door. But the diplomat's eyes were immediately attracted to the third person, a lean girl only a few years older than Kagome. She was dirty and poorly dressed for the cold weather, but somehow, her hair was still a river of black silk and no amount of grime could obscure her chocolate brown eyes.

Kagome's eyes danced between the diplomat and the stunned Sango. "My lord," she said, moving forward. "You surprised us. Have met Sango? She works in the kitchen with me."

Sango made a clumsy little curtsey as she blushed. "It is an honor to meet you, my lord," she murmured.

"Oy, pervert," said Inuyasha, still brushing snow off of his shoulders as he came in, "try not to feel up that one. She was a demon hunter. She'll kick the crap out of you." He looked up and smirked at the embarrassed girl.

Miroku sighed. "Inuyasha, I was just being introduced to the lady."

Kagome smiled and circled back around Sango, whispering as she passed by, "Remember what I told you about him."

"I don't care," the former soldier whispered back.

"You say that now," murmured Kagome as she went across the aisle to stand in front of an empty stall. Shippo had jumped down from his perch and had begun to fuss over the horses.

"Cut it out twerp," said the prince. "They're fine."

Shippo put his hands on his hips, which was nowhere near threatening. "Inuyasha, you have to take care of them! Being out in that cold for even a few minutes is enough to chill one of them. But since you won't worry about them, I will." He draped blankets over both of them and led them further into the barn.

Inuyasha's eyes finally fell on Kagome, as if he hadn't noticed her before that moment. "What are you doing here, Thousandfurs? Shouldn't you be working?"

"No," she lied.

"Are both of you ladies done for the evening then?" asked the diplomat, who was still staring openly at Sango.

The older girl nodded, despite the fact that she had come to barn to tell Kagome that she had better return to work before Naraku came back. "Y-yes, my lord."

"Call me Miroku," said the diplomat softly. He started, remembering that other people were there. "You too, Kagome. I should have insisted before, but of course you can call me by my name."

Kagome grinned at him. "I'll try to remember, Miroku."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes at the three humans. "I am still the prince and both of you will call me as such," he affirmed.

"Yes, thank you for the reminder, Your Highness," said the princess dryly.

The prince shifted uncomfortably under her gaze. "Right. Let's go, Miroku. The little twerp's gotten the horses."

"Hey!" a voice called from the back of the stable. "I heard that!"

Inuyasha crossed to the doors. "Come on, Miroku. The wind is picking up outside. I want to get inside before the real storm arrives."

"Right," said the diplomat, still locking eyes with the elder girl. He looked back at the prince. "Right. But we should accompany the girls back to the kitchen, don't you think? The snow is deep. We don't want them getting lost in the drifts."

"You can see the kitchen from here!" protested the prince.

"But it's the honorable thing to do," said Miroku, looking down his nose at the hanyou. Without waiting for an answer, he turned back to the two women. "Ladies, please allow us to escort you back to safety."

Sango blushed as Kagome stepped forward. "Oh, that would be so nice of you." She looked over her shoulder to where Shippo was grooming the pair of damp horses. "Shippo! We're leaving! Thank you so much!"

"Bye!" he called back.

Inuyasha sputtered. "Wait just a second! I never agreed to anything!"

"But, my prince, we might need your youkai dexterity if the girls can't manage the snowdrifts," said Miroku smoothly.

The hanyou grumbled a bit but nodded. "Fine, but I'm not going in that sweltering kitchen!"

"Fair enough," said the diplomat. He opened the door to reveal the blanketed, white grounds and held a hand out. "Sango? May I assist you?"

The elder girl smiled and slipped her hand in his. "Thank you," she murmured.

Miroku looked back at Inuyasha and Kagome, who were gazing at each other uneasily. "The trick is," he whispered to the blushing girl at his side, "to know when to insult him and when to flatter him. And then there are times when you have to threaten him, of course, but you must use that sparingly, like a real puppy you're trying to train."

Sango laughed gently as they exited the stable and began to make their way across the gardens. Behind them, Inuyasha and Kagome were picking their way through the snow as far from one another as possible. "Does he really hate her?" asked Sango.

"No," said the diplomat. "But he doesn't like her either. Inuyasha doesn't like anyone."

"He likes you."

Miroku shook his head and smiled. "We are best friends, I admit, but the fact is that Inuyasha only dislikes me less than most people."

Sango stumbled and felt the diplomat's arms encircle her waist. Blushing, she looked up at him. "Thank you," she murmured, waiting for him to do something less than honorable. When it didn't come, she smiled. The kitchen staff and even Kagome must be mistaken. "I don't believe you though. The prince must like someone. It is very difficult to live without even liking someone." She began to walk again, pulling out of his grasp.

He sighed and followed. "You remember Princess Kikyo and that mess."

"I'd forgotten," said the girl, shaking her head. "Of course I remember. It was just as I arrived here though, so I was much more concerned with my own life at that moment."

"Understandable," said the diplomat. "This castle can be quite the culture shock."

Sango frowned at the nearing kitchen and purposefully slowed down. "How long have you been here?"

"Almost four years," he replied. "I was the youngest diplomat ever chosen. My father was the king's personal spiritual advisor and when the need for a liaison to the Taisho kingdom was made known, the king sent me. I was hesitant, but my father reminded me that this was the best chance I would ever get. He was right."

"Do you miss your parents though?"

Miroku shrugged. "My mother died when I was very young. I suppose I miss my father, yes, but for a different reason. He followed my mother into the afterlife shortly before I came here."

"I'm very sorry," said Sango. "I'm sorry I brought it up."

"Don't be. I'm not. I would like you to know me," said the diplomat with a smile. "I would like to know you too. Do you have any family?"

"A brother," she replied. "Back at my old home. I haven't seen him for a couple years, since I left. I expect I'll never see him again, but he is very strong in mind and body. I know he's all right. He doesn't know that I'm all right though."

He laughed softly. "So neither of us have very happy stories, do we?"

She shook her head and gave him a small smile. "Apparently not." They had reached the door of the kitchen and she reluctantly pulled her hand out of his. "What is that?" she asked, rubbing her fingers over the thick scar tissue on his palm, trying not to look at his intense gaze.

Glancing out of the corner of his eye, Miroku saw Inuyasha disdainfully pulling a mired Kagome out of the snow. Convinced that they were suitably occupied, he smiled at Sango. "When I was very young, I was attacked by a demon when I wandered away from my father. My father arrived in time to grab me and destroy the demon, but not before the youkai shot a spike through both of our hands. He had a scar just like this. He joked that it was a family curse, but I think it bothered him very much that he didn't get to me before I was injured." He laughed and rubbed at the back of his neck. "Sorry, I must be depressing you, my lovely Sango."

The girl blushed again. "Not at all." She turned and maneuvered herself to point to the center of her back. "My brother once accidentally hit me with his scythe, right there." She turned back and smiled at his shocked expression. "He felt so bad about it, but of course, it wasn't his fault. It was a fight with a spider demon and they can manipulate a lot with those webs of theirs. And I recovered, although it was doubtful for a few days there."

"I'm glad it worked out," murmured the diplomat.

"So am I." She lowered her head as a now snow covered prince and Kagome approached. "Are you all right, Kagome?"

The princess huffed and pushed her hair out of her face. "Yes. Inuyasha-sama was very helpful getting me through the snow," she said, sounding like she wanted to say the exact opposite.

"She was completely irritating," groused Inuyasha.

Kagome took one look at the lovely pair in front of her and smiled. "Well, be that as it may, I should probably check in on everything." She gave a curtsey to the diplomat and an evil eye to the hanyou. "Thank you for the assistance, Prince Inuyasha. Goodnight, Miroku." She winked at Sango and then escaped into the heat of the kitchen.

Inuyasha appraised the pair as well and rolled his eyes. "Right. See you later then." He walked off towards the castle in the fading twilight.

The diplomat and the girl looked at one another again and smiled. "You should go inside before you freeze. I've seen it happen. You wouldn't be nearly as attractive with blue lips."

"I should," agreed Sango. "Thank you… Miroku." She turned to open the door and suddenly felt a hand on her rear. She spun around and slapped him hard across the face and then stepped back. "Oh! I'm so… I mean… You…"

He rubbed the red mark and grinned at her. "I'm used to it."

The girl pressed her hands to her own face, trying to hide her embarrassment. "I'm… I'm not that kind of girl," she said.

"I know you aren't," he replied.

"Then why did you…?"

He shrugged. "It's a compulsion. You've been very shy, you know, Sango, but I know that's not the real you. Now I have proof. You have the same passion as any youkai." He smiled at her scandalized look. "What? You've been here for years, but you don't know about me?"

She stepped back again, pressing her spine against the door. "I had heard, but I didn't believe it. I thought that you being a diplomat…"

"I'm not a monk," he replied. "Aren't I allowed to appreciate beautiful women?"

"Well, perhaps you shouldn't appreciate so many at the same time!" said Sango. "Now, I must get back to work."

Miroku smiled at her, seemingly unaware of her annoyance. "Of course. Goodnight, my Sango."

"Goodnight," she replied shortly. She watched him wave and walk back towards the castle, stepping in the footprints that Inuyasha had left. Opening the door, she was not at all surprised to find Kagome waiting on the other side, with a catlike grin on her face. "What?" she asked with a smile forming on her lips.

"I _told_ you he was a pervert."

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A/N: I think that's one of my favorite chapter endings I've ever done. I can't believe I stretched what was supposed to be a shorter bridging chapter to twelve pages. Haha. I know that Shippo seems a bit grown up at times, but I figured that his different situation would result in a different attitude. He comes into regular contact with a king after all! LoL. Well, anyway, I hope you liked the chapter. Thanks and review!


	5. Lords and Ladies

A/N: I know I told several of you that this chapter would be up within minutes of my reply to your reviews, but the site decided to be difficult and not let me upload. Sorry! I hope that the chapter will make up for it.

Thousandfurs

Chapter 5: Lords and Ladies

Kagome woke up in her room under the stairs and shivered. Even using the fur cloak as a blanket, she was frigidly cold. Myoga was snoring underneath a scrap of fabric Kagome had found for him just a few days earlier. He seemed oblivious to the cold, but the princess couldn't ignore it long enough to get back to sleep.

Figuring that the others had just let the fire die, she sat up and went out into the common room. The fire was indeed down to a few orange embers. She would be lucky to be able to get it going again. Wondering if there was perhaps a flint and steel set in the closet as the water and bread, Kagome trudged over, trying to keep herself wrapped in the furs. She blamed the snowstorm still raging outside. It hadn't let up in the two days since Miroku and Inuyasha had walked her and Sango back from the stables. The princess wondered how the dignitaries from the other kingdoms would manage their trip in such weather.

Rooting around in the closet, Kagome was having no luck when the main door to the servants' quarters opened.

"Go away. Go and sleep with the other _castle_ servants," a feminine voice said. It was Kagura. Kagome recognized her angered voice in an instant. Not wanting to direct that anger towards herself, the princess pressed herself into the back corner of the closet, into the shadow.

"My dear girl, why are you so cross?" purred the other person. It was Naraku, although Kagome had never heard him speak so gently before.

Kagura let out a soft growl. "You disgust me. That's why I'm angry. You disgust me and you force me to help you in your treacherous acts."

"I would hardly call them treacherous. And I do not force you to do _anything_."

"Of course. I must help you and grace your bed out of the kindness of my heart," she scoffed. "Because, you know, that's the sort of generous person I am."

"Speaking of gracing your bed," began Naraku.

Kagura laughed coldly. "No way in hell. I give you one favor a night and you have most definitely used yours."

Kagome could hear Naraku shifting his weight impatiently. "Of course, how could I forget?" he said. His tone had hardened. "Kagura, you will behave. Do I need to remind you why?"

"No," said the demoness immediately.

"Then you'll continue doing as I ask?"

She sighed as Kagome silently begged her to resist the manipulative cook. "Yes, Naraku-san."

Naraku clucked his tongue. "Now, now, Kagura. I don't want you to be annoyed at me. Don't you think that I understand that this is hard for you? I know it is. But think about it. Soon it will be over and I'll be able to take care of you properly. You _and_ Kanna."

"You're a very bad liar," snapped Kagura.

"But I'm not lying, my dear. Do you think I want to be a cook forever? To be the lapdog of a soft-minded king? Not to mention that freak of a prince we have. But soon, we'll be able to leave together. I do want you to accompany me."

Kagura scoffed again. "What are you going to do? Just leave?"

"Not precisely," replied Naraku.

"Then what?"

The cook laughed softly. "Well, perhaps if you stop being so temperamental, then I'll trust you enough to tell you the entirety of my plan to get out of here. You have to be especially good though." His voice got low and husky. "Do you understand, Kagura?"

"I don't want to be that good," snapped the demoness. "Goodnight, Naraku-san."

"Fine," replied the cook. "Let me just tell you though, that there will come a time that you won't be able to refuse me. And you will behave. I won't be so lenient in the future."

"I await that day with bated breath," drawled Kagura.

"Hmm, I'm sure you do," said Naraku.

Kagome heard the door open and close again as he let himself out. She couldn't move though, since Kagura remained standing in the common room. The princess could have sworn that she even heard the demoness sniffle. Finally, there was the creaking of floorboards and stairs as Kagura went upstairs to her room. Kagome waited until she heard the soft sound of the demoness's bedroom door close before she came out.

Breathing deeply, the princess went over to the now dead fire. She felt badly for Kagura. Not only must the poor girl be exhausted from these late nights, but the rumors were true. She and Naraku were sleeping together. Kagome couldn't blame the wind witch for calling him 'disgusting'. That would be the word to describe sharing a bed with such a vile man. And she couldn't imagine the pain of having to listen to everyone talk about it, judging her because she was forced into bed with the boss.

Rape was illegal in her own former kingdom, but her father had clearly been willing to break that particular statute. Kings frequently held themselves above the law, so that was hardly surprising, but Naraku was just a cook. He couldn't even hide behind a throne like her coward of a father. On the other hand, she was in a demon kingdom now and as Myoga and Miroku had both told her, demons were a bit more lax about the law. But Kagome couldn't believe that this extended to rape.

She considered going to Miroku, to tell him everything she had heard. But it wasn't any more than a bunch of ambiguous statements and she had the distinct feeling that Kagura would deny everything. She was too proud to admit that she was being forced into Naraku's bed.

Kagome sighed and knelt beside the fire. Miroku wasn't exactly the most discreet of characters either. She wouldn't humiliate Kagura without true proof. The demoness could clearly take care of herself and, after all, everyone already knew that Naraku treated Kagura badly. If Miroku hadn't been able to act upon it already, she doubted her new tidbit would push him over the edge.

She spread fresh ashes onto her skin, knowing that she would have to get up again in a few hours. Realizing that she would have to go out into the snow to get more wood if she wanted to start a new blaze, she quickly decided against it. The princess just wanted to get to sleep now. She couldn't think about Kagura and Naraku anymore. It depressed her. It reminded her of her own relationship with her father, one that was about power, manipulation and oppression.

Getting back to her room, Kagome's head had barely hit the cot when someone else came into the quarters and ran up the stairs. Dust rained down on the princess, but she just groaned and rolled over, trying to get back to sleep.

Unfortunately, her wish wasn't granted. Fate had decided to deal the girl an exciting night and soon doors were opening and slamming closed upstairs loud enough to wake the dead. The servants were chattering and laughing now. "Some of us do need to sleep, you know," said Kagome, although she knew that would not be heard.

"What's going on?" murmured a groggy flea demon. He sat up and looked over at her with sleep filled eyes.

"They're making a racket," groused the princess. "Sorry I woke you up though. We shouldn't both suffer."

Myoga shrugged. "It would have woken me up soon enough anyway. Do you want me to go and tell them to keep it down? Demons sometimes forget the demands of a human body."

"No, they already wonder enough about me, ever since I met the king and queen. I don't want them to have reason to be suspicious _and_ annoyed at me. I'll get used to it and get to sleep again." She scowled as someone trampled down the stairs in the middle of her sentence. "That'll get kind of irritating though."

There was a sharp rap on her door. "Kagome! Kagome, wake up!"

"Sango?" The princess sat up and leaned over to push open the door. "I'm up already. What's wrong?"

"Nothing," said the former demon hunter, coming in with a huge smile. She had to crouch to fit her tall frame into Kagome's room. "The nobles are here, Kagome! They've all come at one time! They're going through the streets of the city right now. If we hurry, we can see them enter the castle gates. Come on, everyone's going!"

"But it's snowing outside. There's a storm."

"It's not that bad. It's died down." Sango beckoned to her. "Come on. They're saying that Sesshoumaru-sama is coming in with them."

Myoga shook off his little blanket. "Well, that might be worth going to see."

Kagome frowned, but got up to follow her friend back into the common area. The rest of the servants were beginning to rush down the stairs and out the door so that a draft was constantly swirling around them. "I don't get it. For the past couple of days all you've done is complain about what a nuisance the nobles are, making you stop your normal work for them and whatnot. What's so exciting about their arrival?"

"We get to see them for the first time," said Sango, amazement on her face. "Come _on_, Kagome! They'll be so beautiful and this is the only chance we'll get to see them until they leave. They always make such grand entrances though and they've never all arrived at the same time since I came here. It'll be such a lovely processional."

The flea demon hopped up onto Kagome's shoulder. "It might be wise to go, my girl, just to see which nobles will be here. Just in case, if you get my meaning," he whispered.

"Alright," said the princess finally.

The word was barely out of her mouth before Sango took her hand and pulled her into the tail end of the stream of servants going to the front gate. "You won't regret it, Kagome," said the other girl. "You'll get to see all the demons and, oh! You've never seen King Sesshoumaru!"

"No, I haven't," admitted Kagome as she yawned. "Isn't it a bit early for them to be arriving?"

Sango shook her head. "It's only an hour or less until the time we normally get up," she said. "Oh, but Kagome! Sesshoumaru-sama is very beautiful, for a male that is. Even Miroku would have a hard time competing with him."

The princess was barely listening. Only an hour until she was supposed to wake up? She looked for Kagura, finding her easily because of the ethereal glow that her sister, Kanna, gave off. The wind witch did look tired. Kagome sighed and shook her head, feeling very useless indeed. She realized that Sango was still talking. "Sorry, Sango, could you repeat that? I guess I'm still a bit tired."

The other girl smiled. "It was nothing. I was just talking about the time I passed Sesshoumaru-sama's queen in the hallway a couple years ago. And well, you'll see. We'll be there in just a minute."

Kagome couldn't really share Sango's enthusiasm about losing sleep to see nobles of the type that had surrounded the princess all of her life, but she appreciated it all the same. But as beautiful as they were, Kagome couldn't imagine that the youkai and human nobility would make up for the trouble she would go through during their visit. Naraku had made it clear that the newest servants would get handed the most intrusive errands from the royalty. The announcement had turned the excitement Kagome had expressed to Miroku into complete indifference about the feast.

"There! I think I see a place!" Sango pointed up ahead to a small gap in the gathering crowd. It was a lucky find. Even the off-duty guards had come from the barracks to see the procession. Sango and Kagome quickly claimed their place, a fairly decent spot with a good view of the lane going up to the castle doors. The sentries were drawing open the gate, letting the city's lantern lights spill onto the road.

"Sango, look!" Kagome pointed to the castle entrance, to one of the few sights that could really shake her out of her sour mood. Out of the doors came the king and queen, dressed resplendently in purples and reds. Prince Inuyasha and Miroku were one step behind them. Miroku looked charming and impeccable in his usual robes but the dog hanyou appeared as if he had just rolled out of bed. He was yawning and rubbing his eyes, ignoring the fact that his hair was sticking up in the back and that his haori was crooked.

Miroku's eyes were travelling up and down the line of servants who had come to see the show. When he finally spotted the girls, he smiled broadly and waved, elbowing Inuyasha as he did so. The prince only scowled in their direction. Kagome grinned at her friend as she waved back. "He was looking for you."

Sango blushed. "No. He was looking for both of us, I'm sure."

The princess looked over at the diplomat again, who was still staring at them. "Right. All I know is that he could actually take his eyes off of me when we first met. That's not so true now that he's met you. What a strange coincidence."

"Stop it," said the other girl, burying her face in her hands. She was straight faced when she looked at Kagome again. "Besides, he is a pervert, just like you warned me."

"That didn't seem to bother you two nights ago," said Kagome, smiling.

Sango sputtered. "But he just grabbed me! I didn't ask him to!"

"Like that matters," replied the princess. She pointed towards the gates as Sango opened her mouth to retort again. "Look. It seems like they're here, finally."

Twelve royal guards appeared in the gateway, riding identical black stallions in three columns. Behind them, four palominos drew a magnificent ebony carriage. It was large enough to carry a dozen people, but at the rear were even more black horses carrying ten male nobles and another contingent of guards. The nobility wore thick cloaks with fur collars and jewels. Even the stallions sparkled with diamonds and rubies set in silver metal.

"That's the Kobayashi delegation, if I'm not mistaken," murmured Sango. "They always look like they've come straight from a funeral. They're practically the only humans that will still trade with the demon kingdoms though, so we're supposed to be especially nice to them."

The black carriage stopped in front of the castle doors and the footmen hurried to give a hand to a lady who stepped out with greater grace than Kagome had ever been able to muster. All that the princess could see was that the lady wore a crown of silver and was dressed in one of the most exquisite kimonos she had ever seen. Behind her, seven other ladies and two lords got out of the carriage as well, standing far behind as the crowned girl walked up the steps to meet her hosts.

Kagome tried to remember the name of the princess from the Kobayashi kingdom, but only drew a blank. She was about to ask Sango when the lady turned to give an order to her retinue. Kagome sucked in a sharp breath. She had heard stories, of course, but she had never been able to see for herself. It was Princess Kikyo, she recalled. It was the princess that looked just like herself. Kagome could see why everyone said so. She could have been twins with the girl standing on the steps.

"Kagome? Are you alright?"

The princess nodded at her friend. "Yes. I just couldn't remember Princess Kikyo's name and then it came to me. You know the feeling," she said, watching the Kobayashi princess intently. The king and queen were conversing with the lady but Inuyasha was hanging back with his arms crossed. Even Miroku looked angry. Kagome made a mental note to ask the diplomat about it.

Kikyo finally went inside as a new delegation began to come through the gates. "But," Kagome protested, "they're on foot!"

And indeed they were. Fifty or more men dressed in silky furs and metal armor were walking up the road as Kikyo's entourage moved away towards the stables. In addition to the men, there were several wolves prowling between the ranks. They seemed to prefer one man in the center of the group, who Kagome could see was the leader. Blue eyes and long black hair tied up was nothing to set him apart really, but the princess could feel an aura of power emanating off of him that drowned out the other men.

"Who is that?" she asked Sango.

"Prince Koga," the girl replied. "He's the pack leader of the wolf kingdom up in the mountains. It's not a very big kingdom, but they're extremely powerful warriors and the Taisho kingdom's oldest traditional allies, so they're big around here."

Kagome skimmed the group again with her eyes. "There's only men."

"Males. They're called 'males'. Don't call a male demon a 'man'. They don't like to be associated with humans," warned Sango. "But anyway, the female wolves stay home. I've never seen one myself, although I've heard stories from the soldiers who have been there. They're just as powerful as the males physically, but they have to stay back and take care of the pups. Wolves don't bring their mates or pups anywhere because it's like showing off your vulnerability."

The princess nodded, understanding a little bit better. She watched quietly as Koga broke apart from the group and bowed to the Taisho royals. And if Inuyasha appeared irritated and defensive when Kikyo had appeared, he was nearly shaking when Koga walked past and into the palace. "Do they not like one another?" she asked.

Sango laughed softly and shook her head. "Hate each other. I'm not sure why. I think it's just a guy thing really. I've heard that Koga can be just as stubborn as Inuyasha though, so perhaps they're just too alike to get along."

Kagome looked again at the prince, who was still agitated. "Perhaps it's something else," she said softly. "Perhaps they fought over a girl."

The other girl glanced at her companion, ignoring a stream of uninteresting nobility parading in on horseback. "Kagome? Do you… like the prince?"

"What?" The princess turned her eyes back to Sango and began to smile uneasily. "Why do you ask me that?"

"You have a strange look," she explained. "I think that it's the same look I get when I think of Miroku."

Kagome shook her head and laughed. "No. You're the only one that's lovesick here, Sango," she said, making the girl blush again. "Inuyasha is difficult and stubborn and everything that any other man… sorry, male… would be if he had the emotional maturity of a two year old. Did I tell you what he said to me that night that you and Miroku were making eyes at each other? When he was helping me out of the snow?"

"No, I don't think so," murmured Sango.

"He said 'Thousandfurs, you would think that with all these animals on your back, you might have half the grace of one. Who taught you to walk? A duck?'," she mimicked. "Then he started talking about how a duck at least had the good sense to have wings. I swear, he was making less sense than my father and that's saying a lot."

Sango raised her eyebrow at this rare reference to Kagome's family, but said nothing. She had tried to talk about Kagome's past enough times to realize that her friend wasn't prepared to say anything about it, come hell or high water. "Well, you certainly do stare at him a lot," she teased gently, feeling entirely justified considering the ribbing she had gotten about Miroku in the past couple of days.

"I… I feel sorry for him, actually," said the princess. "No one likes him because he's a half demon and the few who give him a chance don't like him because he's a complete jerk. But perhaps he's a jerk because he knows that few people will give him a chance. It's just a big cycle."

The other girl nodded. "He suffers because of his birth. It's not fair, I admit, but I have never understood his character. You've met his parents. Would you have ever guessed that Prince Inuyasha was their child?"

"Except for the physical resemblance to his father, no, never. He's so rude and his parents are so kind."

"I think that's the general opinion," said Sango.

There was a cry from the people near the gate, attracting the attention of the girls once again. "I think this is about to get interesting again," murmured Kagome.

Her friend grabbed her hand. "It's Sesshoumaru-sama."

"Good," said the princess. "I'll finally get to see what all the fuss is about."

Any other words evaporated from her mouth, however, as Sesshoumaru's procession began to come through the gate. Instead of horses bedecked in jewels, the guard rode a company of winged dragons with as little ornamentation as possible. The magnificent creatures' scales glittered in the moonlight in shades of green and blue. Stepping in time, the dragons held their heads high as their black armored riders kept their eyes forward. They moved almost silently, sending a chill down the girls' spines.

Following behind, a small but exquisite litter was carried on the backs of two other, smaller dragons. Like their larger companions, the dragons had obsidian eyes and their scales were colored like the ocean. Their wings were extended and wrapped around the sides of the litter, obscuring most of it from view, although Kagome could still see the heavy muslin curtains surrounding it. "I had thought it impossible to train animals to carry a litter on their own," whispered Kagome.

"I don't think Sesshoumaru-sama accepts the word 'impossible'," laughed Sango.

There was a collective gasp and Kagome looked back to see a demon riding through the gate on a massive two headed dragon. The family resemblance to Inuyasha and his father was immediately apparent. He was clothed in white and red and was crowned by long silver hair. His pale face had the stripes upon his cheekbones of his father and the additional mark of a crescent moon upon his brow. Kagome could see that this male was dangerous. His cold indifference and unbending discipline was apparent in his chill golden gaze. "He's beautiful," she murmured, "but he terrifies me."

"He's not like Prince Inuyasha," agreed the other girl. "When he lived here, his father kept him in check but when he went to rule the Sato kingdom, everyone expected him to begin acting like his true self."

"And did he?"

Sango shook her head. "No, not really. He's unforgiving with traitors and they say he does not tolerate weakness, but there haven't been any of the rumors that everyone expected. If nothing else, Sesshoumaru-sama has a great amount of self-control. It's probably the biggest difference between the brothers."

Kagome watched the demon king ride up to his father's doorway and dismount the dragon. Bowing to the Taisho king, Sesshoumaru turned back to the litter and wordlessly commanded the two dragons to unwrap their wings. The muslin curtain was pushed aside and a woman stepped out, assisted by the Sato king. She was Sesshoumaru's equal in beauty with thick ice blue locks and intense azure eyes.

"Queen Yuki," murmured Sango, as they watched the woman turn back to the litter and help a small boy with blue hair and golden eyes get out. "And that must be Prince Haruko, their son. I've never seen him before."

The small family walked up the steps and bowed to the Taisho royalty. The king and queen bowed in return before the father broke out in a grin and stepped forward to embrace his son in what was clearly a one-sided hug. The king pretended not to notice as he went to greet his daughter-in-law and grandson personally. The queen was a bit more sensitive, holding her stepson for a scant second. Inuyasha stood back, only giving a nod to his sister-in-law and nephew.

Sesshoumaru glanced once at the crowd gathered to see him and went inside with his mate and child. The Taisho royalty stayed to greet a few more lords and ladies, but the servants began to leave. "Come on," Sango said. "We saw the interesting bits."

Kagome nodded and began to walk back with her friend. "You were right. That was worth it. Did you enjoy it, Myoga?" She looked down to her shoulder, but the flea wasn't there. She sighed. "He always does that. You would think he would tell me before he left."

The other girl smiled. "Yes well, I wouldn't bet on seeing Myoga very often in the next couple of weeks. I wouldn't be surprised that someone calls on us for extra work before breakfast. The fun part is over."

Ten minutes later, a few moments after they stepped into the kitchen, Sango's prediction came true. The entire staff watched as a castle servant came in and spoke to Naraku in the corner. "I don't have time for this," they heard him snap.

"It is the order of the king to make our kingdom's guests as comfortable as possible," replied the elite servant, not bothering to lower his voice.

"Fine, I'll send someone." The glowering demon waited until the servant left and then turned to his staff, his eyes skimming each one. "Thousandfurs! Get over here, animal!"

Kagome exchanged a look with Sango but made her way over as quickly as possible. She had not forgotten how angry he had been when speaking with Kagura that morning and was convinced that a lack of sleep on his part probably wouldn't improve his mood. "Yes, Naraku-san?" she asked, bowing.

"Boil some water and take it to the Prince Koga in the guest quarters. Apparently, one of his wolves has a head cold," he growled. "They waste my time on this crap, taking care of some sick dog! You better move your ass, Thousandfurs. I don't have the hands to spare."

The princess bowed again and walked over to fireplace, where she was lucky enough to find a large pot of water boiling already for morning tea. Grabbing a teapot, ceramic bowl and dishtowel, Kagome pilfered some of the hot water and placed it all on a tray. She wasn't exactly certain where the guests were housed, but she wouldn't risk asking Naraku and having him drag her through the castle again.

The snow was thick enough to slow her progress as she balanced the tray, but she was fortunate not to fall on her face. Once inside, she simply followed the stream of activity to the guest quarters. "Excuse me, where is Prince Koga's room?" she asked one of the passing guards.

"Last one on the left."

She thanked him and went to the room, but paused outside of the door when she heard fierce growling. She looked up and down the hallway at the others but no one was paying the slightest bit of attention to the sounds. Kagome lifted her hand to knock several times but did not.

"Are you going to come inside or not, wench?" snapped a voice from inside the prince's room.

Kagome blushed and slid open the door. "Good evening, Your Highness," she murmured, keeping her eyes on the tray.

"Kami in heaven! What the hell are you?"

The princess looked up to see the wolf prince standing in by his fireplace. Up close, she could see that Koga was just as powerful as she had imagined. His body was lean and muscular, much like Prince Inuyasha's, but he also had a thirst in his eyes that she couldn't place. Looking around, she could see that he had no baggage except the five wolves lying on the thick mats. The bed was untouched but several furs had been laid out in front of the fire. Koga was clearly not accustomed to opulent surroundings.

"Your Highness," she said, giving a small curtsey. "I have brought the hot water you requested."

He growled, nearly making Kagome drop the tray. "You didn't answer the question. What are you?"

"I… I am just a human servant, my prince," she murmured. "I work in the kitchen. They call me… they call me Thousandfurs."

The prince accepted this name without a thought. "Put the tray down."

Kagome placed it on the low table in the middle of the room and stood back, waiting for him to dismiss her, but when he didn't she looked up at him again. "Your Highness? I should be getting back to the kitchen, if that's alright."

Koga's lip lifted in a snarl. "Stay right where you are, human," he snapped.

The princess's eyes widened as he stalked towards her. She willed her body to stop shaking, for her expression to remain calm, but failed. "Was there something else you needed, Koga-sama?" she asked as he came within two feet of her.

He only stopped when he was practically nose to nose with the terrified girl. "Human! You reek of death!" He grabbed at her shoulder, taking hold of a fistful of her cloak. "These are my kindred! You have wolf pelts on your back! Who are you to wear the skins of my tribe? I cannot believe that the king would allow such a dishonorable act in his household!" He began to pull it off of her shoulder.

Kagome shrieked and tried to get away, but the prince's grip was firm. "Please, stop! I beg forgiveness, Your Highness!"

"Take it off!" he yelled back. "You shame the Taisho kingdom!"

The princess fell backwards, landing hard on her tailbone. The cloak peeled away, leaving her in her winter yukata and blackened skin. She cried out again and reached for her furs. "Please, Your Highness! It is my warmth!"

"Find another animal to slaughter!"

"Koga-sama, please! I meant no disrespect!" she pled, tears beginning to stream down her face.

The five wolves around her were on their feet now, circling the sobbing princess. "I should let them kill you for such a sin," he growled.

Kagome threw her entire body onto the floor. "Your Highness! I beg forgiveness!" she cried again.

Koga stepped forward, but stopped suddenly, turning pale as he looked at his doorway. The door was still open, a fact forgotten by both the prince and the crying girl. He dropped Kagome's fur and stood up straight. "I did not expect to see you so soon," he muttered.

The princess wiped her red eyes and turned to look at the very welcome intruder. Queen Izayoi stood in the doorway, staring at the wolf prince with more seriousness than should have been allowed on her beautiful face. "Prince Koga, you've disturbed half of the castle. What do you think you're doing to my servant?"

"Your servant?" He looked down at Kagome on the floor. "I wasn't aware that she was your personal maid, my queen."

"She's not," replied the lady, "but every servant in this castle is under my care and therefore, my concern. I will not ask again. What are you doing to her?"

Koga fidgeted. "She… she's wearing the pelts of my wolf kin. It is a personal insult."

The queen nodded and for a terrible moment, Kagome thought she would be left alone with the wolf prince again. But then the Taisho monarch spoke to her. "Darling, did you intend to insult Prince Koga with your attire?" she asked gently

"No, Your Majesty," Kagome replied, bowing her head.

"And, as for the cloak, did you hunt the wolves that contributed their pelts to it? Or any of the other animals for that matter?"

The princess shook her head. "No, my queen."

Izayoi smiled. "One more question, my dear. Do you have anything else with which to keep yourself warm?"

"No, Your Majesty. It is my only cloak and, forgive me, but it is also a memento of my former home. Please, I would not like to part with it." She lowered her eyes, aware that she had probably spoken too much.

But the queen continued to smile, only letting it fade a little when she turned back to Koga. "You see, my prince, that the girl meant no harm or insult. Surely you would not deny such a timid creature her only source of warmth in the dead of winter? To do so would kill her and I assure you that the king would be most displeased. We do not like to lose our dedicated servants." Her eyes turned cold as she spoke. "Now, would you please give back the cloak that you unintentionally dropped?"

Koga set his jaw. "Of course, Your Majesty," he said, leaning over to retrieve the furs before thrusting it back at Kagome. "Here."

Kagome took the cloak and immediately draped it back over her shoulders. "Thank you, Your Highness," she murmured.

"I think you should also apologize to her," said the queen, making Koga look up at her in shock. "After all, you clearly terrified the poor thing. We don't want her to think that demons are cruel creatures. Your aged father, if he were able to come, would have said the same, I'm sure." She was still smiling.

The wolf prince's face contorted as the queen mentioned his father. "Yes, of course," he said, speaking through his teeth. "I'm sorry, girl." He didn't look at her.

Izayoi nodded. That was the best the stubborn wolf would manage. "Go back to the kitchens now, dear," she murmured to Kagome. The girl wondered briefly how the queen knew that she didn't want Koga to hear her true name. "My prince, I'll see you at breakfast." She bowed and walked out, with Kagome close behind.

"Thank you, Your Majesty," whispered the princess when they were a little ways down the hall, right before she had to turn to get back outside.

The queen stopped and turned. "You're welcome, Kagome," she said. There was no smile now, but Kagome knew that the queen's irritation was not with her. "The wolf kingdom is a close ally of ours, but they can be difficult to manage. Try not to upset them, although I admit that Koga was a little edgy this morning, even by his standards. If you have any more trouble with him, come to see me. Now, you should toddle off before Naraku gets angry too." She gave the princess a brief smile and left.

Kagome let out the breath she didn't know she was holding and turned, running down the halls to get back to the kitchen. It looked like the king's birthday feast would be quite a trial and she didn't need anymore of those.

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A/N: I love Izayoi. She's awesome. Anyway, review, review, review and review more! I answer them! Remember – reviewing keeps you warm on long winter nights. That and fuzzy slippers.


	6. A King's Birthday

Thousandfurs

Chapter 6: A King's Birthday

Kagome wiped the sweat from her brow with the back of her hand, smearing the ashes, but she could hardly care. The fires were at full strength at the far side of the kitchen and the heat was oppressive. For two days there had been nothing but backbreaking work and the sweltering fires keeping them warm until they went out into the frigid outdoors. Kagome had been sent to the palace several times with hot water, only to be sent back by a minor lord or duke because it had gone tepid in her time between the kitchen and their rooms. The first time, Naraku had landed a welt-raising blow on her back with a birch switch, but after that, even the tyrannical cook had been too busy and too hot to punish her anymore.

It was chaos every moment and Kagome felt her body resisting every movement she made. She had become much stronger in her time in the Taisho kingdom's royal kitchen, but this work would have broken down any human. Even the demons appeared fatigued. The extra help the king had hired from his city were a godsend and the only reason any of them managed to sleep a few hours each night.

"Take it easy for a few minutes," Sango said, coming to her side. She pushed Kagome down onto a wobbly stool. "Naraku stepped out for a few minutes. You look like you're about to collapse."

"I am," the princess replied. She looked at the other girl who was glistening with sweat. "How can you even stand?"

Kagura turned her head to them from where she was standing a few paces away. "She's changing. I told you that, Kagome. Sango has demon blood, or she will soon. Her scent is changing too, although you can't tell with your human nose." She poured some thick liquid into an earthen cup and handed it to the princess. "Drink this. It'll make you feel better."

Kagome accepted the cup with a word of gratitude and tipped back the liquid into her mouth. It was sweet and pulpy. It was pomegranate juice, something rare in the winter. "Kagura, you didn't have to give me such a valuable drink," she said, humbled by the demoness's care.

The wind witch scoffed. "Don't worry about it. Naraku will pay for it, the bastard. You guys need more than water and weak tea to drink."

"Still, thank you," she said, handing what was left to Sango. "Drink the rest."

"No, it's yours," Sango replied. "You need it. But don't worry too much! This is as bad as it gets, with the big feast starting in an hour or so. Everything will die down tomorrow, once the nobles begin to leave."

Kagome nodded and set down the now empty cup. She didn't want to be seen by too many of the other servants. As busy as they were, they would find the time to gossip about how she got special treatment from Kagura. "Alright, back to work then." She picked up a rag, preparing to wipe down the tables for the last round of vegetables to be chopped.

"Don't worry about that," said Kagura, who was shooing away a young servant from the palace. "Seems that Princess Kikyo needs a drink after her time in the hot springs." Her voice was stoic but she was rolling her eyes, wordlessly telling them what she thought of hapless royalty. "Take her some of the pomegranate juice and water."

The princess frowned slightly but went to gather the necessary items. She had been sent into the palace several times over the past couple of days, but after the incident with Koga, she had only been sent to the more minor nobles. She hadn't seen hide nor hair of any of the truly interesting royalty currently residing in the palace. Kagome suspected that Queen Izayoi had something to do with this – Naraku certainly wouldn't have taken it easy on her out of the kindness of his own heart – but she had missed seeing the truly beautiful creatures she had watched that morning when they arrived. And this would be a chance to see Kikyo up close, to see if she was truly so identical to her.

"Have you ever met Kikyo?" asked Kagome. She had adopted the rather rude way of the servants of addressing disliked royalty without any title or honorific. Even Sango did it.

The former demon slayer shook her head. "Never had the pleasure. I've heard things though. They say she's really cold. Not really a glowing description, but not harmful either. Just don't draw attention to yourself and you should be fine."

Kagome nodded and, taking the tray in hand, went out the door into the cold air. It hadn't snowed since the morning the lords and ladies had arrived, but it was cold enough to prevent a thaw and she could see her breath in front of her face. Her sweat turned icy and slipped down her back, giving her a chill. By the time she had grown accustomed to the cold though, she was at the palace door.

The hallways were crowded, as they had been since the celebrations had begun. Kagome threaded her way through a number of frantic castle servants and personal assistants to the royal guests. She even passed a young lady in finery who appeared slightly put out at the number of people in the corridor.

She took a turn and breathed a sigh of relief at the lower amount of traffic. Kagome knew her way to the suites for the most important of the royalty, although she hadn't been there since the disaster with Koga. The more minor nobles were on the floor below them but here, only a few servants were scuttling about to serve the needs of these important dignitaries.

Kagome balanced the tray and tapped on the doorframe of Kikyo's room. "Come in," said a soft, tired voice.

The princess slid open the door and bowed deeply before stepping in. She placed the tray on the carved table in the center of the room and backed away, keeping her eyes to the floor, waiting to be dismissed. She would try to catch a glimpse of the princess on the way out.

"Well now, you're certainly a filthy little thing," said the voice.

Unable to avoid it, Kagome looked up to see Princess Kikyo lounging in a plush chair by her fireplace. Her hair was wet from the hot springs and she was wrapped in a loose kimono made of pink silk. Kagome could see that the shape of her face and her coloring were very similar to Kikyo's, but the resemblance was not as striking as she had originally thought. Princess Kikyo had a hardness about her, an angularity underneath the surface that came through her expression. Kagome hoped that she didn't look so unpleasant.

"Is the king taking charity cases?" asked the princess as she lifted herself from her place, wrinkling her nose. Despite the hardness Kagome saw in her, she had to admit that Kikyo was as graceful as anyone she had ever seen. She had the body of a dancer and moved fluidly through her room. She picked up her hairbrush and swept it through her dark locks, looking at the dirty Kagome.

'I had a brush like that once,' Kagome remembered silently, watching the golden handle move through Kikyo's hair. In response to the princess's question, she only curtsied. "Charity case, Your Highness?"

"Well, why would the king let you into his home otherwise?" laughed Kikyo. It was a laugh that sent a shiver of revulsion down Kagome's spine. "You're absolutely disgusting." She stepped towards her and then backpedaled delicately. "Oh, and you reek! How can the demons bear to be around you with their sensitive noses?"

Kagome wasn't sure what to say to the insult and so she remained silent. How could she be blamed for not smelling as good as she once did? Certainly some of the other servants smelled worse than her!

Kikyo was laughing again. "I heard that Inuyasha had brought in a new servant that dressed in furs. I suppose that would be you, because who else would have such horrendous taste in clothing?" She went back to the fire and combed her fingers through her hair. "Of course, he's such a pathetic little puppy himself. Such a darling, but so _base_. It would figure that he'd find someone like you. Maybe you can go have little furry animals with him!" She giggled at her own joke and then waved her hand. "Why are you still here? I'm sure you have work to do, creature."

The former princess's cheeks burned as she bowed again and turned to leave. Behind her, Kikyo was demanding to be clothed for the feast. Kagome wondered if she even remembered the juice that she had brought for her or if Kikyo had just decided to make a few servants run around at her request.

Kagome stalked through the halls, silently fuming. How dare that woman? Even at the height of teenaged insolence, Kagome had never treated a servant so dreadfully. They might look a bit alike, but she knew that the similarities ended there. How cruel! If she was still in power, still the eldest child of the Nakao kingdom, she would have taught Kikyo a lesson in etiquette. Obviously, no one else had done so.

She slowed her pace and began to amuse herself with thoughts of little revenges on the haughty princess. Putting horse urine into the next drink she demanded from the kitchen would be a classic, one that Sota had tried to pull on an irritating guest when he was six. Their mother had caught him and given him a good scolding for that one. Kagome knew that if she were caught doing anything against a princess that Queen Izayoi would have much less sympathy. She had stuck up for Kagome against Koga after all. Playing tricks on the royal guests would only dishonor the Taisho family.

She sighed as she trekked back to the kitchen along the shoveled path. It was childish of her to think of such things anyway, she reasoned, kicking a clump of snow and watching it break apart and skitter across the ground. A few months ago, before she had fled to demon kingdom, Kagome would have just risen above Kikyo's petty behavior – not that a princess would act that way towards another royal. Now, as the downtrodden servant in an alien world, Kagome realized that a slow bitterness was settling into her heart. She could manage this life in order to survive, but that's all she was really doing – surviving. This was not her destiny, she was certain of that.

But how could she change her fate? Despite his rotten heart, her father was the picture of health. He had many years to live and she could feel her nobility slipping away day by day. If Sota came for her in a decade (which was a hopeful estimate of her father's death), would he recognize his elder sister? Would she speak with the rough accent of her coworkers? Would she only know how to tote water and cook vegetables instead of remembering her favorite poetry or how to dance as her mother had taught her?

Sliding open the door, she stepped back into the kitchen, her dark look at Sango immediately alerting her friend as to how the brief meeting went. "That bad?" asked the demon slayer.

Kagome nodded. "I have another story for the grapevine," she murmured, looking around the dark kitchen. "Where is Naraku-san?"

"In the palace, talking to the head servants about how tonight will go," she replied. "Then he's going to the kiln to make sure the bakers are doing the breads properly. He won't be around until right after everything goes onto the table."

The princess nodded again, thankful that the raging chef would be out of the way for awhile. The kilns were behind the kitchen because the fires had to be stoked even hotter for making bread. It was a building that Kagome had never gone into and nor did she want an invitation. If the kitchen was sweltering, the kilns were Hell itself. "Naraku-san will have to bathe after going there," she commented, wiping down the tables so that a slab of beef could be cut into translucent strips. A demon assistant chef sliced the meat rapidly, the knife shining in the firelight. Another youkai arranged the paper-thin slices on a large platter and added an expensive garnish.

"Well, I hope he does, then we'll be free of him for the majority of the evening. The food is almost done, actually," said Sango looking around at the preparations, which were slowing down. "This is earlier than we've ever had it finished. I wish that meant we got a break! I wish that I could go see them dance before they all stuff their faces with food."

Kagome's eyebrow lifted. "Dance?"

Sango nodded absently, not noticing the glimmer of mischief in her friend's eyes. "Of course. They must all be so beautiful, don't you think? The finest cloth and the finest jewels. They're all finding mates and spouses as they talk and dance. It must be very romantic."

The germ of an idea began to wiggle through her mind. The princess recalled the feasts she had attended as a young girl, before her mother had become ill. She remembered a lot of well-mannered leering in her direction from men twice her age and hoping for just half of her wealth. She was retiring at those events, hiding from the courtiers and sitting in corners with Myoga or Sota. Her mother had always encouraged her to be a better hostess, but Kagome could never get comfortable when every eye was on her in desire or jealousy.

But here, in the Taisho kingdom, she would have anonymity. She didn't know any of the nobles and she certainly needed to be around finery again. She was forgetting the feel of silk on her skin, the taste of fine food and the sounds of a court orchestra. Kagome had to get out of the kitchen. She had to get to her kimonos and over to the dance without discovery. She would be a princess again, if only for a few moments. The thought sent a delicious shiver through her body.

"Kagome? Are you alright?" Sango was frowning at her.

"I… I feel a bit faint," murmured the princess weakly, feeling bad for lying to her friend. She was certain Sango would see right through the ruse.

But the demon slayer was nodding her agreement. "This is really hard work, especially so soon after arriving here. When I came, Naraku didn't cut me any slack. I don't think you should suffer the same fate, especially when things are beginning to die down around here. Go and rest in your room for a couple hours. I'll cover you. Kagura will understand, just make sure you're back before Naraku."

Kagome felt a stab of pain in her heart. "No, Sango, I can't ask you to work harder just for me."

Sango laughed and gestured around her. "They can always help," she said, pointing out the several demons that were leaning against the counters and sitting down. They scowled in return. "Really, we're doing fine. Go."

The princess couldn't hesitate again or she knew she would stay out of guilt. She thanked her friend, nodded at Kagura and escaped out the door. Once safely inside the deserted servants' quarters, she pulled a large bowl from the closet and filled it with water before setting it over the fire to warm. "Myoga?" she called as she shed her fur coat.

"Yes?" He appeared in the gap of her doorway to her room, frowning at her. "Aren't you supposed to be working? Are you sick?"

She shook her head as she sat down next to the fire and began to wash her arms clean of ashes. "No. Sango took pity on me because she thought I looked tired. I just have to be back before Naraku gets to the kitchens."

The flea hopped over. "I don't think that's a very good idea. You don't want any special attention from the head cook or the other servants." His frown deepened as he watched her pale skin begin to shine through the grime. "And why are you washing? Someone will see!"

"They're all too busy in the kitchens," she said. "Besides, no one noticed me leaving. They don't care." She scrubbed her face with the warm water, making her cheeks glow a rosy pink.

"And the washing?"

She shrugged. "I like being clean," she said, avoiding the direct question. Before Myoga could protest, she turned to him. "Look, could you do me a favor? Could you watch out over the kilns and make sure Naraku doesn't come back early?"

"By all rights, you shouldn't have to know if he was," the flea said. "I don't like this."

"I am very tired, Myoga," she pled. "Please. Just watch for me. I'll get you some ox blood from the kitchens if you do." She smiled as she offered his favorite food. Myoga preferred human and demon blood above all else except for ox blood. He said it had a rustic flavor, but Kagome really didn't care to know the details.

She knew that she was successful when Myoga jerked his head up to look at her. "Really? Hmm, alright then, I guess I can spend a couple hours watching over the kilns." He began to turn away but then glared at her. "You get some rest though! I don't want to hear about you being tired when so many other people are working so that you can have a few moments' peace. And for Kami-sama's sake, make sure you don't get seen like that!"

Kagome smiled at him and went back to washing as the flea sighed and disappeared out the door. As soon as he was gone, the princess lost all sense of decorum and stripped to wash herself more thoroughly. She carried her furs to her room and found the yellow bag that held her precious kimonos. Even in her darkened room under the stairs, they glittered. She slipped into the one made of gold like the sun and tied her obi with practiced hands. Her hair could not be helped much without the assistance of servants and complicated hairpins, but she managed to tie it up on her head and out of the way.

"I can't believe I'm doing this," she said to the empty building. She could see in the reflection of the leftover water that she was glowing. Her kimono hugged her curves, despite the weight she had lost since coming to the castle. It had the long furisode sleeves of an unmarried woman, she realized. Her father had never meant for her to wear them. Why had she not noticed before?

But tonight, it served her purpose. She would be the unmarried noble woman of a far off, tiny human kingdom. She would have no name, no history and no father. Armed with these rules, she practically ran along the path from the servants' quarters to the palace. Her kimono was not meant for the winter air. The hem was damp when she finally arrived inside, although she had been holding it up in a very undignified way.

She arrived, out of breath and red in the face, amidst a mass of people preparing for the feast. A few servants looked at her strangely, but they didn't dare question a noble. How many times had Kagome heard those words in the kitchens? 'Those nobles! They get to do whatever they want!' She had said it herself in the past two days.

Following the general flow of the servants, Kagome made her way to the throne room where she had met the king and queen in her first few days in the Taisho household. It was packed with glittering, silky nobility now. Music was coming from her left, from a royal orchestra of no less than twenty accomplished demons. To her right, double doors were opened to reveal a sumptuous feast being laid out in a room even larger than the massive throne room she was standing in at the moment. Although she couldn't see them, she was certain that the king and queen were at the opposite end of the room, sitting in their chairs and whispering together like new lovers as usual. Most of the guests were milling around the edges, sitting in the simple chairs that lined the walls, but several demons were dancing, their arms around their partners much more intimately than her own Nakao kingdom allowed.

A few youkai stared at her as Kagome moved to find a seat. She didn't want to attract too much attention to herself but she saw that just being human was enough reason to have eyes upon her. She spotted Kikyo dancing like a swan in the center of the room with a human male who appeared to hardly believe his own luck. She didn't seem the least bit perturbed by the attention paid to her. Her partner kept missing steps and rushing to catch up with her. Kagome had to lower her eyes before she began to glower at the other princess.

"Will you do me the honor of dancing with me, Princess?" asked a familiar voice.

Kagome looked up into the face of Koga, the wolf demon prince. Her first instinct was to bolt – surely he would recognize her scent? But she remembered that she had bathed and was not wearing her furs or her ashes, and so she relaxed. "Of course," she replied, holding out her hand. It would be very rude to deny a prince after all.

This close and without threats or crying, she could see that the prince was a very handsome male indeed. Koga had an aristocratic face, but not wholly unkind. She smiled at him and was rewarded by one of his own. Kagome wondered if it really had been her furs that had set him off two days before, or if it was an entirely private reason. She didn't forgive him for being so cruel to her of course, but the queen had said that he was a bit tense. Kagome decided to give him a clean slate as a princess. When she returned to her life as Thousandfurs, she would cautious and afraid of him once again. He was only a danger now if he discovered that other life.

"Why did you give me such a lofty title?" she asked, eager to break the wolf's steady gaze. They stepped in time with the music without effort and others folded in around them.

He shrugged and looked away over her shoulder. "You look like a princess. Was I wrong?"

She smiled and returned his noncommittal shrug. "Perhaps. Perhaps not."

"That is a difficult answer," he said, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm a difficult person to understand," she replied.

He grinned at her. "A sense of humor!" Koga looked around at all the other dancers, several of whom were staring at them. "They think you must be related to Kikyo in some way, but that sense of humor disproves that. She has none. What's worse is that she thinks she does have one and weighs us down with her ill-timed comments."

"I am not related to Kikyo," Kagome confirmed, shaking her head. "It is a coincidence."

The wolf nodded. "So, have you ever been to the Taisho kingdom before?"

"Never," replied the princess, "and not to your realm either, my prince. I have never had the opportunity to travel so far from my home before."

"A shame," he said, still smiling at her. "Then again, I knew you hadn't been to my realm because I certainly would have noticed someone as lovely as you."

Kagome blushed. "You flatter me too much, Your Highness."

"You've never been to my lands so you don't know how poor a compliment that is. You deserve far greater praise. After all, my subjects live in caves. The females are filthy from their foraging all the time. The males are dirty too, of course, we just have more occasion to wash properly." He laughed at her expression. "Don't misunderstand. We're a nation of warriors, not scholars, but we have our moments. There's nothing finer than the sun setting over our mountains. Except perhaps you."

The princess lowered her eyes and smiled. Just a bit forward of him, she mused. Declaring her more beautiful than a sunset! Rather bland, poetically speaking, but he did say he was a warrior, so was he expected to know these things? "Thank you, my prince," she said, settling on the safest answer.

The music slowed to a stop and they separated. Kagome hadn't even realized how close their bodies had been. "Another dance?" he asked, bowing a bit from his waist.

Kagome turned her head slightly to see Inuyasha standing near them and looking at her with a peculiar gaze. He was clothed in apple red as usual, but it was thick silk instead of the normally coarse material he wore, and the royal seal was emblazoned onto his shoulder. "Forgive me, Prince Koga," she said, taking a step towards Inuyasha, "but I promised our host a dance and it appears he has come to collect on my debt."

The wolf and dog demons bristled at one another, their chests swelling up as they took deep, even breaths. Koga broke away his gaze first. "Have at it, mutt-face," he muttered, turning away.

Inuyasha and Kagome exchanged a look. He didn't appear too happy, but then, Kagome had just obligated him to dance. "I hope you _do_ dance, my prince?" Kagome asked, stepping even closer to him and holding up her hands.

He wrapped an arm around her waist and took her hand. "Of course. I'm not a simpleton," he replied with a scowl, moving her into the faster beat of the new song. "So the wolf was bothering you?"

Kagome shook her head. "Not really. I just preferred to dance with you."

The prince's eyes widened and then he turned his head away with a frown. "Just because I'm the prince."

The princess mentally rolled her eyes. She had never met anyone with less self-confidence! Nor had she met anyone with so many unpleasant facial expressions. "No, not because you're the prince. I wanted to dance with you because," she paused and searched for the right words, "you seemed like the only male in this room who would not really care who I was."

"You just met me. How do you know what I care about?" he asked.

Kagome thought about all the brief moments she had spent with him as Thousandfurs. He was just as bitter now as he had been then, but she had to admit that even when he was condescending towards her, his honesty in his words was refreshing, even if it did often offend. "I have heard enough about you to know that you don't care what others think and the others here want to know who I am."

"You're new," he replied. "It's usually the same people over and over again at these damned things."

"Yes, I know."

"So why shouldn't they know who you are?" he asked. "You must have realized that they would be interested by a new face."

She smiled at him. She hadn't realized that, mostly due to the rashness of her decision to come to tonight, but she wouldn't let on to that fact. "I don't want them to know."

He tilted his head at her and his shoulders tensed beneath her hands. "But, dammit, now I want to know. Why did you have to mention it, wench?"

Kagome laughed. The prince's acerbic attitude was so much more bearable when he didn't also treat her as a servant. She studied his face, his golden eyes and strong jaw and the puppy ears on top of his head, and found that she liked it very much. It was a face that she could see everyday. She was even comforted by it, despite his current frustrated gaze. She leaned closer to him. "Well, I said I didn't want them to know. I do want you to know who I am," she said and his dog ears twitched. She suppressed the urge to giggle and then sobered quickly. "Unfortunately, I cannot tell you who I am. Not now."

"Why not?" he asked petulantly. "Are you some lowly lady-in-waiting who has stolen her mistress's kimono?"

She shook her head. "I can't tell you. I will tell you that I have more royal blood than a lady-in-waiting though. I am worthy of even you," she said, not being able to stop saying the last bit.

Inuyasha looked at the sylph-like creature in his arms and came to jarring realization. "Are you a relation to Princess Kikyo?" He saw her expression darken as she turned her face away. "I didn't mean it like that! I mean, are you?"

"Perhaps we shared an ancestor long, long ago," she said, still upset. "But I would prefer not to think about it. I have never met her before tonight. She is an unreasonably rude woman."

The hanyou prince smirked. "Of course she is. She's a princess and can pretty much do whatever she wants."

"That is not a good excuse for her bad behavior," said Kagome, softening a bit. Inuyasha's eyes were sparkling in amusement at her. Suddenly she felt that she would talk about anything under the sun to keep him that way, even Kikyo.

But Inuyasha changed the subject anyway. "What kingdom are you from?"

She laughed and shook her head. "That's practically the same as asking who I am. I can't narrow you down to a single kingdom if I hope to keep my identity a secret. I see that you would be willing to hunt through every scrap of document to find out who I was if you knew my homeland's name."

The prince begrudgingly admitted to this truth. "Alright, what should I call you?"

Kagome shrugged. "Why call me anything? It's one dance, not a vow of marriage."

Inuyasha remembered his promise to his father, made earlier that night. The king had come to his rooms and told his son that the prince needed a mate, that the king needed grandchildren. "Just keep an eye out for a suitable girl," the king had said. Inuyasha had agreed, because what possibility was there of finding anyone that would even be civil to him at one of these infernal dances? "One dance," he repeated, "for now."

The princess looked up sharply and then smiled. "Are you saying you would like to see me again, Your Highness?"

"Yeah, sure," he replied, trying to fight his embarrassment. "Not like it means anything! I mean, you're just nice and not stuck-up and stuff…" He winced at his words.

Kagome laughed and squeezed his hand. "It would be very nice to see you again, Your Highness. I'm certain we will meet sometime soon."

"Will you be staying around here for long?" he asked.

"No," she answered automatically. "I… have to go back to my kingdom immediately. But I will try to return as soon as possible!" She smiled at his slightly injured expression. "I just told you that I would meet you again."

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"Who is that dancing with Inuyasha?"

The king looked up briefly. "Kikyo."

Izayoi gently pulled her hand from her mate's grasp and tapped him on the nose. "No, it isn't. Kikyo is over there, scowling at them. So who is the girl?"

He looked up again, more intrigued. His demon eyes found the pair and studied them carefully. "I have no idea, my love."

"He's staring at her," commented the queen.

"So is everyone else."

She smoothed her purple kimono, her fingers rubbing over the intricate embroidery. "Indeed they are. I feel like I'm wearing a rag next to her. What a kimono!"

"You're lovely tonight, my dear," replied the king. He rubbed his chin. "Although, she is too, I must say. Perhaps our son is finally noticing another female besides Princess Kikyo. Perhaps he has found a mate."

Izayoi smiled at him. "Perhaps, but don't you think it's a bit hasty of him? I've never seen this girl before, which means he certainly hasn't either. Rather quick work for our son."

"Even if it's passing interest, I am relieved to see it," he said. "Kikyo has made a mess of things."

The queen nodded solemnly, for a mother always remembers the injuries a child suffers. "Do you know who she is, Miroku?"

The diplomat came to her side from where he had been flirting with one of the ladies in waiting. "Who? Oh, the girl Inuyasha is dancing with. I was more shocked by the fact that he's dancing really. I didn't even know he could." He frowned and looked at the girl. "Hmm, I'm afraid I don't know who she is, Your Majesty."

"Make some inquiries," said the king. "Inuyasha does need a mate. Perhaps she will agree to an arranged mating, if all else fails."

Miroku's nose wrinkled. "He's not very fond of that idea, my king."

"Well then he should get fond of the idea," replied the monarch in a sterner voice. "One day, he needs to grow up and take on his responsibilities."

"It's been hard for him, dear," said the queen. "You know that so many people abhor him just for being a half-demon." Her voice became thick with unshed tears, as it always did when they talked about this subject.

The king took her hand. "He's strong. Someday he'll prove it to the public and they will realize their error." He looked back at the girl in his son's arms. "Besides, this one seems to enjoy Inuyasha's company. If I was to go by her expression alone, I would have people set up a bridal suite tonight."

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"What do you do besides tease foreign royalty? Do you ride?"

"Of course. I was an accomplished rider," she replied, flinching at her use of past tense. "Um… I haven't gone out in awhile though, due to my increasing responsibilities as I get older. Do you ride often?"

"Yeah, mostly to get out of the castle. That, or I train in the dojo. The Taisho family is known for its swordsmanship." He puffed out his chest in pride.

"I have never fought anyone," said Kagome. "Not with swords anyway."

Inuyasha raised an eyebrow. "I thought all ladies of noble standing would be taught enough to defend themselves, especially in the human kingdoms. Humans are weak without claws or tough skins like demons."

The princess shrugged and sighed. "I'm finding that much of my education was neglected in my youth. I try to repair the damage, but I fear I'll never catch up." She looked over to her left to see Kikyo giving her a scathing glare from the side of the room. "Princess Kikyo, for example, has grace that I will never possess."

He followed her line of vision. When his eyes found Kikyo, the princess smiled prettily and turned away, disappearing into the crowds. He sighed too. "She has her faults though."

"Many, but most males would be quite willing to overlook them in favor of her beauty."

"And her wealth," added the prince.

"I apologize," she said. "I have brought us back to depressing subjects. Forgive me, my prince."

He shook his head, his white locks swaying from side to side. "No, if anyone is to blame, it would be Kikyo herself. She poisons everything just by her presence."

He spoke with such venom that Kagome remembered her promise to speak to Miroku about the prince and the foreign princess. She feared his answers. But before she could change the subject away from the mutually disliked Kikyo, she appeared at Kagome's elbow. "My prince!" she crowed. "How long it has been since I have seen you!"

She placed a hand on Inuyasha's shoulder, forcing Kagome away and seemingly oblivious. Inuyasha shifted his body uneasily under her touch, but did not step back. "What do you want, Kikyo?" he said, dropping all formalities.

"Inuyasha, you looked so bored, I decided to save you. Was that wrong?" she asked, putting on a sweet pout.

"I was dancing with her," said the prince, nodding towards Kagome. "I wasn't bored and I didn't need saving, thanks."

Kikyo turned around and looked at Kagome, who got the distinct feeling of being looked down upon, although they were about the same height. "Oh! I didn't see you there."

"Did you think Inuyasha-sama was dancing alone in the middle of the floor?" asked Kagome waspishly. She remembered her manners and curtsied with a dangerous smile on her face.

The other princess lifted her chin. "Well! Considering we've never met, you're rather rude, aren't you?"

Inuyasha was giving her a strange look and Kagome remembered that she had foolishly said that she and Kikyo had met before. "Actually, we have been introduced," she said. "Briefly."

"Hmm, I don't remember." She looked back at the prince. "So, my dear prince, shall we dance?"

"I was dancing with her," he repeated.

Kikyo turned back to Kagome with a tired sort of frustration. "Her? What is _her_ name?"

Inuyasha looked at a loss, but as Kikyo's mouth was turning up in a triumphant smile, Kagome said, "It's been a game, you see! He wanted to know my name and I told him to guess." She looked at the prince with a flirtatious smile. "You have two more guesses, Your Highness, out of your original ten. What do you think my name is?"

"Toki," he said immediately.

Kagome shook her head and laughed. "You'll never get it with such guesses! Come, my prince, think of who I am."

"Gin," he said. _Silver_. He had picked a name that she could in no way claim as her own.

The princess shook her head. "That's all the guesses you have, Inuyasha-sama. We must meet again, clearly, in order that you may have more chances."

The prince smirked as Kikyo looked on with a scowl. The music came to stop and a servant appeared in the doorway to the larger room to announce that dinner was ready. Kagome looked at her new friend and her new enemy. "So, we will meet again?"

Kikyo scoffed and looked at Inuyasha. "All of the _true_ royalty is sitting towards the head of the table. Come, we'll sit together." She pulled on the hanyou's arm, but when he didn't move, she let go and scowled again. "I'll… save you a seat, Highness."

People were flowing towards the doors, moving around the stationary pair with ease. "Come on, I don't want to sit next to her. I want to sit next to you," he said. "I've never seen anyone stand up to her before!"

"What makes you think that I am worthy to sit with the princes and kings of these kingdoms?" asked Kagome.

Inuyasha frowned. "You are if I let you."

She smiled, pushing down the feelings of hatred she felt towards Kikyo and her bitterness that she had to leave this opulent world again. "Thank you, my prince, but I should sit with my own people. Don't forget your promise though. Next time we meet, you may have ten guesses at my name."

He came close to her, his breath mingling with hers. "I knew that Gin wasn't your name. I don't want her to know it."

Kagome put a hand on his chest. "When you figure out my name, it will be our secret from everyone, if you want."

He began to smile but then stepped back suddenly. "I'll… see you at dinner then."

The princess sighed, but nodded. As soon as he disappeared into the crowd, she ran through the crowd and down the palace halls. If dinner was being served, Naraku would soon be back in the kitchens to watch over the clean-up and post dinner whims of the nobility. She flew into the servants' quarters and stripped off the kimono, putting on her winter yukata just in time for Myoga to come bouncing in. "Kagome! He's coming back! He went to oversee the servants putting out dinner first, but now he's coming back to the kitchens."

"Thanks, Myoga," she replied, hastily pulling on the fur cloak and going out to the dying fire in the middle of the room. She spread the ashes up and down her arms and over her face. "Did I miss a spot?"

"No, looks good. Come on, you don't want to be punished," he said, going towards the door.

"One moment," she replied, going back to her room. She dug through her yellow bag and found the object she was looking for and tucked it into her robes. "Alright, let's go."

With the flea on her shoulder beneath her hair, Kagome walked back through the snow to the kitchen. Naraku was there. Kagome caught her breath and tried to be inconspicuous but the draft from opening the door immediately alerted him to her presence. "Thousandfurs!" he snarled. "Where the hell have you been?"

She shared a wide-eyed stare with Sango. "I was tending to one of Koga-sama's wolves," she said. "The animal is still ill and I was sent to the room to bring it some herbs."

The red-eyed demon glared at her for a moment before turning away. "You're still late," he snapped. "You shall be punished."

Kagome began to cry silently, the tears forming in the corners of her eyes. "Yes, Naraku-san," she said softly.

"No, not by me," he said in a quieter, more dangerous tone. "I'll let the prince deal with you. He always wants bread soup after these dances and I always make it, but tonight, you will. If you let one hair fall in that soup from that shaggy cloak of yours, I'll beat you beyond recognition." A twisted smile spread across his lips. "I look forward to it."

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A/N: There you go. Sorry it's been so long – I had to move back to Austin and my job… ugh, my job is another story. Anyway, review please!


	7. Investigation

Thousandfurs

Chapter 7: Investigation

Sesshoumaru's golden eyes flickered over the tables. Hundreds of guests were standing behind their seats, waiting for the king to take his place at the head table that ran perpendicular to the rest at the far end of the room. His father was just in front of him, walking with his human mate. Sesshoumaru looked away, expertly concealing his disgust.

"Stop it," murmured Yuki.

He glanced at his mate's ice blue eyes. "No one can discern my feelings aside from you."

"I'll take that as compliment, although I know you didn't mean it as one," she replied, smiling. "Come on, darling. Hurry up. Grandfather is waiting," she said to her son who was trailing behind them.

The small boy trotted forward to the elder king. "Grandfather, will we sit with you?"

The monarch looked back at his son, who sighed. "You are old enough to attend this feast," said Sesshoumaru, "so I suppose you are old enough to sit at the head table."

"You must mind your manners," warned Yuki.

"Yes, Mother. Thank you, Father," replied the boy, trotting over to his place.

Izayoi smiled at her stepson. "You have raised him well. It's a pity we see him so rarely though."

The king nodded in agreement with his mate. "Our only grandchild will always be welcome here. Of course, we understand that you are quite busy with your management of the kingdom."

"Haruko will be accompanying us abroad from now on, Father," said Sesshoumaru, watching as his son picked out his seat three places away from the king. He took his place at his father's right hand, the place of honor as the eldest son and the king of the closest ally of the Taisho kingdom. His father sat down and conversation throughout the hall paused as the guests made a racket to take their seats as well.

The murmur of talking began anew and Izayoi leaned forward from her place on her mate's left hand to look at her stepson. "But perhaps he is lonely when he is at home? Perhaps you should have another child? Your father and I would enjoy another grandchild to look after."

"I have raised him well because of my queen." He looked over at his younger half brother, who was just wandering in aimlessly. "But why would I give my son a sibling after my own experience with Inuyasha?"

The hanyou's ears flicked forward as he approached the table. "Shut up, Sesshoumaru," he said automatically to the smirk on his elder brother's face. He took his place next to him. "I don't understand why you can't sit next to your mate."

"Neither do I," said the dog demon, looking down the table to where Yuki and Izayoi were now admiring Haruko's good table manners. He turned back to see Inuyasha ignoring him, instead craning his neck to look up and down the tables before them. "I have never seen you so interested in the guests at one of Father's feasts. Who are you looking for?"

"None of your business."

The taiyoukai smirked again. "Are you perhaps looking for that human female you were dancing with earlier?" He watched as Inuyasha shifted uncomfortably. "She looked remarkably like your former love, the Princess Kikyo."

"For someone who is famous for being silent, you talk too damned much," growled his brother.

"I am noted for observant nature, not my silence," replied the taiyoukai. "I can be very loquacious if I feel the need." He glanced at the king, who was now talking with the females and Haruko. "Well, Father will be pleased you've found a mate."

Inuyasha snorted and looked away. "Shows how much you know, you jackass. The girl amused me, that's all. I don't have any other plans for her." He shot his brother a scathing glare. "Unlike you, I don't need Father to pick my mate for me."

Sesshoumaru paled imperceptibly. "I am quite pleased with the matter of my mate. It was not Father's choice, but mine. I accepted Yuki in order to preserve the lineage of an ancient youkai kingdom."

"And to further your own ambitions," spat Inuyasha.

The taiyoukai sat silently for a moment. "Yes, that as well."

"Don't think that when I am king, you will be able to depose me just by claiming that you are the elder brother. I am the heir to the Taisho kingdom," said the hanyou.

"Foolish boy," said Sesshoumaru. "You understand nothing of politics, do you? You shall embarrass me when you ascend the throne just as you have done your entire life in just the confines of the palace. To invade another demon kingdom would destabilize our entire race and give the humans an opportunity to invade. You accuse me of being unduly ambitious but you know nothing of the greed humanity possesses. As much as I abhor the thought of you ruling this kingdom, I dislike the idea of a human sitting upon the throne even more. I will let you be."

Inuyasha set his jaw. "You're still a jerk."

"I will not lower myself to your level by retaliating to such a juvenile remark," Sesshoumaru replied.

"Are you two going to eat the meal that Naraku-san worked so hard to create or are you going to bicker all night?" asked Izayoi.

"Are we taking bets?" questioned Yuki. "Twenty gold coins on 'bicker all night'."

Inuyasha scowled at his sister-in-law. "You've been hanging around your mate for too long."

Yuki smiled and pushed back her ocean blue hair. "With Sesshoumaru-sama as my mate, I must remember my sense of humor," she said, giving a soft look to her lord and mate.

"Tonight is not an occasion to humiliate me," he replied with a scowl.

"It's always an occasion to humiliate you," Inuyasha muttered automatically. He returned to his search for his mysterious dancing partner as his father laughed.

Where was she? She would save him from this bore of a dinner. She said she would be sitting with the other representatives of her kingdom, but that wasn't any help. Besides, he reasoned, she wanted to remain anonymous. If she sat with her compatriots, he could figure out who she was. He realized that she had probably retreated to her room.

"Maybe she was offended by your parting words," said Sesshoumaru.

"What?" The hanyou turned his head sharply to glare at his brother. "Were you eavesdropping?"

The taiyoukai raised an eyebrow. "Such a vulgar word."

"Yet accurate," replied Inuyasha.

"Eavesdropping is beneath my station. Not everyone is as rude as you are, little brother," he said. "I simply noticed that she appeared disappointed when you walked away."

The hanyou frowned. "I wasn't asking for your theories."

"I wasn't offering them. I was stating my observations."

Inuyasha sighed and looked away. "Well, keep your observations to yourself," he snapped. He stood up suddenly, causing half of the room to look at him in surprise. "I'm going to my room." The hanyou didn't wait for an answer before he stalked away.

The king frowned at his son's rapid exit. "That was poorly done, Sesshoumaru," he said, turning to his elder child. "You should have a bit of sympathy for the boy."

"I attempted it once but I can feel nothing for a hanyou that does not have the decency of admitting his own mistakes."

"As if you ever admit to your own mistakes!" said Yuki, leaning over her plate so she could glare at her mate. "Despite what you think, my dear, your brother has had a hard life. It was unnecessarily rude to mock him about his new love interest. I wouldn't be surprised if nothing comes of it now that you've put in your two cents. Don't you remember the pain he went through over Kikyo? I don't think it's very fair for you to subvert any attempts he makes to start his life again after that."

Sesshoumaru scowled at his family, who were all nodding in agreement with his mate. "I will have respect and consideration for my brother when he begins to act as a prince, instead of a spoiled brat." He raised an eyebrow at his father's frown. "At least I no longer try to kill him."

"Oh, the blessings you give us, my son," murmured the king as he rolled his eyes.

Izayoi pushed her plate away, not able to eat anymore. "I hope he finds her," she said, staring at the doorway.

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"Do you even know how to make bread soup?" asked Sango out the corner of her mouth. Her eyes flashed over the dark figure of Naraku on the opposite side of the kitchen. If she were caught talking to Kagome, she would receive ten lashes across her back. The wounds still hadn't healed properly from the last time.

Kagome frowned at the ingredients she had collected. "I watched my mother a few times. Or once. I'll manage," she said, trying not to see her friend's worried expression.

Sango slowed down her washing. "Naraku's best dish is bread soup. The prince will know that someone else has done it and he'll allow Naraku to punish you."

"I bet the prince doesn't know what goes on when Naraku punishes someone," Kagome muttered.

"Of course not. The king would never allow it. But that doesn't exactly stop him, does it?" She made sure the cook was not watching and grabbed Kagome's wrist. "Please, let me do it for you."

The princess shook her head. "No, if you do it, then you'll get punished too."

"But at least the prince won't find out!" she said. "I fear that Naraku-san will kill you if you displease Inuyasha-sama. He will say it was an accident."

"What's to stop him from doing that to both of us if you help me?" asked Kagome. She sighed and pushed her dirty hair back from her face with the heel of her hand. "I know you're worried and I appreciate that, but I can't let you get hurt too, Sango. The guilt would be unbearable. And Miroku would be heartbroken." She smiled softly.

The former demon slayer frowned. "Alright, but I swear that I will kill Naraku if he steps out of line with you."

Kagome didn't approve of this plan, but nodded anyway, knowing that Sango's mind would not rest until she felt she had helped in some way. She doesn't know how alone I am in this, the princess mused silently. She wished that she could tell Sango everything, but it would be suicide. Sango was many things, including respectful of others' privacy, but Kagome doubted that even she could hide her feelings about having a princess working in the kitchens. Someone would notice and then people would begin to talk and then Kagome would have to literally kill herself. She had decided that that would the preferable option to going back to her father and his bed.

She began to chop, crush and mix ingredients, stirring them one by one into the large pan sitting over the fire. Sweat was dripping down her face from working so close to the flame, but she didn't pause in her work. The other workers began to watch her bustle back and forth with interest in their eyes, murmuring about her fervor.

"Get back to work!" snapped Naraku, sending the servants scuttling to their posts. He prowled towards the still busy Kagome and watched her for a few moments. "What the hell are you doing, Thousandfurs?" he demanded.

"Stirring the bread into the soup, Naraku-san," she replied, not taking her eyes off of the rapidly dissolving food as she whisked it.

The demon gave her a triumphant smile. "It shouldn't look that thick until after the bread has been completely mixed in. Your cooking is a failure. I shall enjoy it when the prince demands punishment for his injured sense of taste."

"Naraku-san, this is how my mother made bread soup and it was quite good," she said, still staring at her work. Her arm was beginning to hurt from the repetitive action, but she would not rest in front of him.

The cook sniffed at her preparations and scoffed. "A failure," he said again. "At least make certain it's still warm when the prince receives it." He gave her a nasty smile and turned away.

Kagome scowled but ladled out a large serving of her soup into a bone china bowl and held it for a moment in her red, chapped hands. What had she been thinking when she had taken one of the Artifacts from her bag? It had been a brief moment of desire, she decided. She wanted to find a way to give it to the prince, to let him know that his mysterious dancing partner was truly royalty, his equal. Now the idea seemed childish and yet more desirable.

She turned to retrieve a tray and a china cover for the bowl from the shelf and, concealing the soup with her body, her hand slipped into her pocket and brought out the Arrowhead. Once upon a time, it had hurt a half-demon by pinning him to a tree, now she hoped it would warm a hanyou's heart. He would know that it wasn't just a dance to her. Preventing herself from casting about a glance which would only arouse suspicion, Kagome took the chance that no one was watching and dropped the Artifact into Inuyasha's soup. Quickly, she covered the bowl and put it on a tray and set it on the table so that she could fetch some tea to accompany it.

Naraku appeared at her side. "Leave it," he said, putting down a cup and teapot that he carried onto the tray. "Another servant will take it to the prince. We can't have you fouling the royal quarters with your stench." His shoulders were sagging and his voice was soft.

The princess furrowed her brow but said nothing. Naraku had sounded almost _kind_ in those few words, despite the insult. She looked at him and saw that his face was even blank of its typical cruelty. She had the insane urge to ask the tyrant what was wrong. Looking around, she saw confusion on the other servants' faces as well. She bowed and backed away towards Sango as Naraku wordlessly handed the tray to a cleaner servant to take up to the prince.

"What's with him?" she asked her friend.

The demon slayer shrugged her shoulders as she continued to watch the cook. "After he insulted your cooking, he spoke to Kagura for a moment and then he was like that."

Kagura was sitting quietly with her hands folded in her lap across the kitchen. Kagome could see the lines on her face, made to look even deeper by the firelight. "I wonder what has happened," she said.

Sango went back to sweeping the floor. "We'll never know. As much gossip as there is in this place, no one ever knows what's going on with Naraku. It's probably why Miroku-san can't get him thrown out." A ghost of a smile passed over her lips as she spoke her new love interest's name.

Forgetting her boss's odd behavior, the princess pounced upon the expression. "How is Miroku? Have you seen him lately?"

"No," said the demon slayer immediately. "I mean… I've seen him walking to the stables with Inuyasha a few times. He waves, but never comes over."

"You're holding back on me," accused Kagome, watching her friend's face. "What else?"

Sango paused in her work and stood up straight. "He did send me something," she murmured, blushing terribly. "One of the palace servants brought it to me yesterday morning." She pulled a scrap of paper from her thin yukata.

"What does it say?" squealed Kagome, practically dancing with the romance her friend was experiencing.

Her reddened cheeks turned darker as she lowered her eyes. "I don't know. I can't read, Kagome." When she looked back at her friend, her eyes were glistening with unshed tears. "He's a diplomat! He is educated and highborn. I am a slave. What can I possibly offer him that he cannot get from any woman?"

"I can read," Kagome said, not sure what to say in response to her friend's question.

Sango frowned and looked away, the note hanging loosely in her grip. "Then you are fortunate. I never had the opportunity to learn."

The princess took the paper from Sango's hand and unfolded it. Reading silently, she smiled and looked up at the demon slayer. "Would you like me to tell you what it says?" she asked. Sango nodded slowly and Kagome's heart jumped into her throat. "Let me just say that I wish a man would write so lovingly to me.

"'Dearest Sango, I hope that this reaches you and does not accidentally fall into the hands of some unscrupulous servants. I wanted to apologize for my behavior on the night we met. I have no excuse for it, but may I say that of all the women, human and demon, that I have come into contact with, you are the most beautiful? To not touch you would be death. You were covered in snow and ashes from the fires, but every time I think of you, I imagine you in a silk kimono in a grove of cherry trees. And every time I see that in my mind, I hope that you are waiting for me there. Even if I was a monk, I would not be able to stay away from you. Forgive me for my behavior, and forgive me for my absence as I attend to this tedious feast, and I will be yours if you will have me. With all my affection, Miroku."

Kagome sighed. "He loves you!"

The demon slayer was freely shedding tears now, attracting the attention of several other youkai. "It can't happen, Kagome. What would he do? Give up his position and tend to the pigs?"

"I think he would if it meant being with you!" argued Kagome. "Sango, believe me, this is a beautiful letter. I would guess he went through a hundred attempts before this one."

"He says nothing of our situation though. He is a diplomat and I am a slave. No amount of letters can change that," replied the distraught girl. "I cannot even read. And he forgets that possibility!"

"Perhaps he knew someone could read it for you. Kagura could have done it."

Sango scoffed through her tears. "No, he has forgotten what deep trenches there are between classes in this world. Believe me that it would only take a few moments for him to remember. He will regret what he has done, what he may be planning to do." She wiped away the droplets from her cheeks and stood straight with a set jaw. "Besides, he will always be the pervert diplomat. He cannot change that either and I will not have a husband who so easily goes after other women."

"Now you're just being difficult," said Kagome. "Maybe he didn't want to talk about those things in a letter. This is love written here, not a point by point plan for the future."

The demon slayer turned away. "I cannot."

Annoyance boiled in the princess's heart. How could Sango ignore what so clearly was a letter from a man in love? She would never have a more worthy lover if she waited a thousand years. Kagome stepped closer to the fires and held out the bit of parchment. "Then I should burn the letter. It wouldn't do for it to be lying about. It needs to be kept close to your heart or in ashes."

Sango's back was rigid. "Yes, burn it. It could embarrass him."

The princess shook her head sadly, but she could not toss the letter Miroku had so carefully written into the fire. Instead, she folded it up again and placed it in her pocket for the inevitable moment when Sango came to her senses. Kagome could only hope it would be soon, before the diplomat learned of her refusal. The princess walked past her friend with empty hands. "You've made a mistake."

"It's mine to make," said the girl, carefully keeping her back to the fire as she continued to sweep.

Kagome began to clean her workstation where she had prepared Inuyasha's soup. He would have gotten it by now. Would he have discovered the Arrowhead yet? She realized that it was her own love letter to the prince, although much more vague than Miroku's attempt.

Her heart began to beat rapidly. Wait a moment, she said to herself, when did the prince become qualified to receive a love letter from me? She remembered the awful trek from the barn to the kitchen, when he had insulted her very manner of walking. She remembered his rudeness when she had been lost in his hallways and when he had found her in the forest, tired, cold and afraid. This certainly wasn't a male to be worthy of a princess from the Nakao kingdom, even if she was temporarily covered in soot and fur.

But she also remembered the moment they began to dance that night, and how his arms curled around her body in a gentle, protective way. He had still be slightly rude, but she realized that both of them had felt that instant pull towards each other, the kind you only get with someone whose heart will belong to you.

She wondered if he felt it when he saw her as Thousandfurs too. She was beginning to realize that she did. Sango had even seen enough to ask if she cared for the prince and it had felt wrong to deny her friend's suspicions. But Inuyasha had his way too. As rude as he was, he was never cruel. There was never any true malevolence in his voice or actions towards her. He talked to her quite a bit more than he had to, actually, considering his elevated position and hers so low that he didn't even have to see her if he didn't want to. Yet he noticed her and took her in. And even as frustrated as she got when she had to listen to his complaints and insults, she had an inherent feeling of security with him.

She desperately hoped she wasn't just fooling herself. How crushing it would be to find that he only felt a bond with the mysterious dancer at the party, and none with the fur-mantled girl in the kitchens. Could she accept him if he only loved one part of her? She shook her head clear of this thought. It was too soon to be asking such questions.

Kagome wiped down the table one last time and looked back at Sango. The girl was sweeping the same area of the floor that she had been sweeping for the last five minutes. "Sango."

"Please, Kagome, I don't want to talk about it."

The princess frowned, but remained silent. Instead, Kagura appeared and watched the demon slayer's methodical movements. "Sango, go fetch some water."

Sango looked towards the two full barrels of water sitting in the corner. One look at the wind witch, however, prompted immediate agreement. "Alright." She leaned the broom against the wall and walked out, giving Kagome a small glance.

Kagura stared at the princess, her eyes filled with confusion. "I don't know if you noticed, but Naraku's presence has been requested by the prince. If you had any sense in that human head of yours, you'd run now. Sango is gone, so they cannot blame her. There is a small gate in the back of the garden that goes to the orchard. It's guarded by several sentries, but if you tell them that you're going to the shed to get some dried apples, they'll let you through. Once out of sight, scale the orchard wall and get out."

The princess looked towards the door, her heart filling with trepidation. She had seen what servants got when they angered Naraku, but those were normally passion-filled attacks. She feared what a calculated punishment that he had planned would do to her. She could leave, find another position in another city. She would have to find Myoga first, for his guidance. Without him, she would die, either of starvation or despair. "No, Kagura-san, I cannot leave," she said finally, moving her eyes back to the wind witch.

"You're foolish not to do so."

Kagome shook her head. She hadn't run away before this night and now would not be the time to start. "No, it's here that I have my best chance of surviving," she said. If I leave these castle walls, I will be caught and returned to my father, she thought mournfully. "I have to stay."

Kagura frowned deeply. "This will be the only chance you have."

"I can't. Please understand that I hear your warnings, Kagura, but I have problems beyond these castle walls. I can't go out there again."

The wind witch narrowed her ruby eyes. "Don't keep secrets, Kagome."

"Everyone has secrets," replied the princess, shifting under the youkai's intense gaze.

"Not here," said Kagura. "Not with Naraku around. He'll find out and then you'll be sorry that you've kept anything from him." She laughed scornfully. "The best thing to do around him is parade your secrets around shamelessly. Then everyone will know and no one will care. But hindsight is always a bitch." She sighed heavily and walked away.

The princess sat down on one of the rickety wooden stools, feeling it sway tip back and forth on the flagstone floor. She felt winded suddenly. Her heart felt small and cold inside her chest. Although she had refused Kagura's offer, the door to the winter landscape looked inviting. She had never known impending death would be so alluring. But death could be awaiting her here, in the kitchen, too. She had known that when Naraku had pronounced that she would be preparing the prince's soup, but if Kagura had been worried, the threat was somehow much more palpable. She felt the death knell striking at her ribs. Where were her warm thoughts of Inuyasha now?

Her fingers curled around the edge of the table and her leg muscles tensed. She was about to bolt when the door opened and Naraku walked in. He was a terrible sight. Darkness seemed to enter the room along with him and his blood red eyes moved like fire. "Thousandfurs!" he bellowed.

Kagome slid off of her seat and fell to her knees, pressing her head against the cool stone floor. "Naraku-san," she replied softly, knowing his demon ears could hear her.

He stalked over to her, stepping so heavily that the solid stone floor vibrated. "Get up!" he yelled. Without waiting a moment, he leaned over and dragged her to her feet by her arm as she yelped in fear. "What the hell did you do?"

"Please, Naraku-san, I don't know what you mean!"

His face was inches from hers while his breath washed over her, smelling of rotten rice. "If you ever humiliate me like that again, I will kill you," he snarled.

Kagome began to cry. "I don't know what you mean," she repeated.

"Stop terrorizing the girl, Naraku!" called Kagura's voice from across the room. It was quivering. "She has no idea what the hell you're talking about. No one does."

Naraku pulled back a bit and let go of the princess, letting her drop to the floor. "The _prince_," he spat, "enjoyed your soup very much. More so than anything I've ever made. He knew I hadn't made it. He insists upon meeting the true chef."

The girl's jaw slackened. "Do I have to go?" she asked, her voice a whisper.

"Yes," he hissed. His words came quickly, thick with anger. "Of course you do. You humiliated the head chef with a scullery maid's cooking. I told him you were a witch. He still wanted to see you." He took a breath and glared down at her. "Get out of my sight before I'm forced to bring him your bloodied, broken body."

Kagome folded over on herself and bowed her head before scampering out of the room. Sango was right outside of the door and sloshed water as she jumped out of the princess's path. "Kagome!" she called. "What happened?"

The princess didn't stop but ran down the icy trail towards the castle without stopping. She ran through the doorway, skidding around the corners and up the stairs to Inuyasha's hallway. Servants shouted in annoyance and surprise as she rushed by. When she finally stopped, she had to lean against the wall to catch her breath. Facing the prince at this point in her very long and confusing day was not appealing, but she would have fought a ravenous tiger with her bare hands at this point in order to avoid Naraku for just a few more minutes. Steadying herself, she walked to Inuyasha's doorway and knocked on the frame.

"Come in."

She slid open the door and bowed deeply before stepping in. Emboldened by her earlier camaraderie with the prince, she lifted her head to look around and almost gasped aloud at the beauty of his room. His red draped futon was thick and filled with soft goose down. Mats of the finest quality covered the floor and crimson cushions surrounded the exquisitely carved mahogany table in the middle of the room. Like all noble quarters, a fire roared, warming the room and casting a healthy glow over everything. _Expensive_ was all that Kagome could put words to.

Inuyasha was by his closet with the doors open to reveal the many red hakamas he owned in various fabrics and shades. He had shed his red silk robe and stood in his thin white undershirt. "You're the one who made my soup then, Thousandfurs?" he said. His eyes darkened as he looked at her, his voice deeper than usual.

"Yes, Your Highness," she replied, bowing again.

"Naraku tried to lie to me. He tried to tell me that he made it. I nearly had to beat the truth from him." He placed the folded robe into his closet and slid the door closed. "I can't imagine a single reason for him to lie for anyone's sake but his own, so I must believe him. What benefit would there be for him to say that you made the soup when you didn't?"

Kagome shrugged and lowered her eyes to the floor. "None, my prince."

The prince walked to his table and sat down upon the plush pillows. His tray still sat there with an empty bowl and dirty teacup. Something was shining in his hand as he flipped it over and over between his fingers. Looking at her, he held the Arrowhead up. "Do you know what this is, Thousandfurs?"

The princess bit the inside of her mouth so hard that it bled. "No, Your Highness."

He frowned and stood up again. "Then you wouldn't know how it got into my soup?" he asked. "I nearly swallowed and choked on it. I'm thinking that it was an attempt on my life."

Kagome tried to keep her heart still, her hands from getting sweaty. She was in the presence of a youkai, half blood or not, and he could tell if she was lying if she was careless. "I wouldn't know anything about it, Inuyasha-sama. Other people handled the soup aside from myself," she added for good measure.

He raised an eyebrow. "I know that," he snapped. His eyelid was twitching slightly. "I've had a long day, Thousandfurs. Tell me what you know about this arrowhead or I will throw you into the dungeons."

The princess bowed. "I know nothing about it, my prince. I beg you to believe me."

"Did another servant approach you with it?" he demanded, now standing toe to toe with the girl. "Did they order you to put it in the soup?"

"I am only a lowly orphan," she replied, not able to look in his golden eyes. She wanted him to dance with her again, to wrap his arms around her waist and step with her lightly across the floor. "I know nothing about it."

He held it in his open hand between them, his shadow making the yellow gold look soft and dark. "It's valuable. Anyone can see that. I smell your scent upon it. You're a servant. Why would you have something so precious?"

"It's not mine, my prince."

"You must know who it belonged to though. Your scent blankets it." His jaw was clenching repetitively between his words.

"Please, Your Highness, but surely my scent is upon everything on that tray?" she asked.

Inuyasha shifted uncomfortably and stepped back. The obsessed glimmer of his eyes faded away. "Well, yes." He frowned and walked towards his balcony that overlooked the garden. Kagome could see the smoke rising from the chimneys of the kitchen. "Is everyone talking about the feast?" he asked.

Kagome shook her head. "Not yet, my prince. I'm sure they will be tomorrow."

He bent his head and rubbed at the nape of his neck, before turning on his heel to look at her again. "You really don't know anything about this?" he asked, holding up the Artifact again.

"No, Inuyasha-sama."

"So you have no connection to any of the visiting nobility here?"

"No, Inuyasha-sama." She bowed again so that he couldn't see her face. "Why would a servant like me know any nobility besides those that I serve?"

The prince frowned again as his dog-ears flattened back across his head. "Of course you wouldn't," he sneered. "You're just a filthy little creature, just like Naraku said." He gave her a withering stare. "Get out."

Kagome felt a pain in her heart from his words, but as she turned to open the door, it opened to reveal someone who would make her day indescribably worse – Kikyo. The former princess backed away immediately and bowed to the other monarch. Kikyo looked down her nose at the servant. "Shouldn't you be on your knees before me?" she stated dryly. Kagome only stared back at her.

"What do you want, Kikyo?" Inuyasha remained by the window, but his hateful gaze had shifted from his troublesome servant to his former love.

"Are you already questioning the servants about your newest romantic interest?" asked the princess, ignoring his query. "Starting from the bottom, I see."

Kagome wanted to bite back but she was a servant once again, not the mysterious noble in the golden kimono. She hovered by the doorway, sensing that Inuyasha did not want to be left alone with the venomous princess. She would wait for a second dismissal, she decided, as she stepped back into the corner.

Inuyasha's golden eyes flickered towards the servant but did not mention her continued presence. He slipped the Arrowhead into his pocket in a fluid motion and crossed his arms. "The last time I checked, Kikyo, it was none of your business who I choose to spend my time with."

"It's not my concern really, just simple curiosity. Obviously this girl has only just entered proper society. I only wish to assist her with the transition," she said with a coy smile.

The prince scoffed. "If I ever see you being so benevolent as that, Kikyo, I think I would die of shock."

Kikyo squared her shoulders and narrowed her shining brown eyes. "There was a time that I would be the kindest woman on earth just to have that result."

"What do you want, Kikyo?" he said again, turning his head away from the firelight, so that it fell into shadow.

The princess opened her mouth but paused and turned to look at Kagome. "Why are you still here, furry creature?" she asked. "What gives you the right to listen in on nobility's conversations?"

"She's here by my leave," Inuyasha said quickly.

"It's sweet of you to defend the only creature more reviled than you," said Kikyo, "but let her answer for herself, alright?" She looked back at Kagome and raised an eyebrow.

"I am here by Inuyasha-sama's leave," said Kagome with a bow.

The princess lifted her lip in disgust. "I should have you whipped for lying to royalty," she said softly. A vein began to pulse under the thin skin of her forehead and her hands fisted in her white and purple silk kimono. "Inuyasha, I want to know who that woman was that you were dancing with. She was human, I know that much, so it narrows the field quite a bit. I simply want you to save me the trouble of hunting down the little witch."

"I thought you wanted to introduce her to proper society," said Inuyasha.

"Well, I want to know what sort of society she comes from," amended the princess with a smile.

The prince shared her secretive smirk. "You want to know if she's good enough to marry someone like me," he guessed.

"Even the furry little creature here is good enough to marry you," said Kikyo, still smiling. "I want to know if she's good enough to marry a prince."

"Why? Have your eye on another victim? Think she's competition?" He raised an eyebrow. "For Koga maybe?"

Kikyo tossed her hair and laughed. "I've learned my lesson about you puppies. This new girl wants you? She can have you." She jerked her head towards Kagome. "You should take the furry creature with you too. A bunch of little misfits."

"Get out Kikyo," growled the prince. "Misfit as I am, I don't want you here."

The princess smiled and bowed. "Of course, Inuyasha-sama," she said in a lyrical voice. "I wouldn't want to upset you."

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes so that they flashed in the firelight. "I believe you've already finished that particular task."

Kikyo went to the door and slid it open once again. Before stepping out, she looked back at the prince. "Remember that history has a way of repeating itself, Inuyasha," she purred. She glanced again at Kagome, who was still standing with her head bowed and shoulders hunched forward. "After they meet you, it's only a matter of time before a woman tries to run from you."

The door snapped shut and Kagome relaxed as she looked up to see the prince's silhouette by the fire. Inuyasha's cheeks were burning red, although he was not close the fire. Kagome shifted her eyes away for his sake.

"Light the lamps," he said softly.

Kagome immediately moved to follow his orders, picking up a taper and moving around the perimeter of the room to light the golden oil lamps. Inuyasha lowered himself onto one of the cushions in the center of the room with his head tilted forward and his elbow propped up on his raised knee. Kagome expected a piteous moan to rise from the defeated hanyou, but he remained silent. The lamps seemed to light up every corner of the room except for the prince's face. It continued to be in shadow, a void where there should have been matter. When she was done with her task, she blew out the taper and waited for Inuyasha's notice.

Minutes ticked by and the girl wondered if he had fallen asleep sitting up. She could hear nothing but his deep, even breaths. She stepped forward. "Inuyasha-sama, if you are done with me, I should return to the kitchen."

He looked up sharply, light filling a face that was drawn in anguish. Kagome nearly stumbled from the pain it gave her heart. The prince got to hit feet with a sigh of terrible weight. "Tell Naraku…" He paused and looked bewildered at his own capability to speak. "Tell Naraku that you are to make my soup from now on. And if he has a problem with that, he's free to speak with me about it."

Kagome swallowed thickly. Naraku would be furious when she told him this, she knew. But she bowed. "Yes, Your Highness."

"Get out."

For the second time that day, Kagome fled from the prince. He was in a darker mood than she had ever seen anyone, including Naraku. It might not be dangerous for her body to remain with him, but her heart would have been crushed by his anger and sadness. She almost laughed at the irony. He would never harm her as his mysterious princess, but as Thousandfurs, she was uncertain. What would happen if he ever discovered that the two were actually one?

And Kikyo. This was the second time Kagome had seen him unsettled by the princess's presence. There was a history of romance there, obviously, although Kagome could not imagine Kikyo ever being so soft as to be romantic. What had caused their relationship to splinter apart?

She had to speak to Miroku.

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A/N: Yay! Done! This chapter was rather bitchy to write. I'm not sure why. Anyway, please read and review!


	8. Abandon

Thousandfurs

Chapter 8: Abandon

Kagome's hair whipped around her face as she stood on the grounds, watching the last of the guard details and litters leave the castle gates. It was a chill, sunless morning, made worse by the icy wind racing over the grass. Because it was so early, the princess had very few companions, but Kagome had been unable to sleep. For two days her mind had churned over the matter of Inuyasha and Kikyo, waiting for a moment to catch Miroku alone, but every time she had seen him from afar, he was with the prince.

Sesshoumaru came out of the castle with his mate and child. Most of his entourage had left earlier, before Kagome had given up on trying to fall asleep, but the dragons remained. They snorted their discontent with being awake so early, smoke and spurts of fire coming out from their nostrils. Laying a hand on one of their flanks, the dog demon quieted them before helping his family into the litter. He said a quiet goodbye to his father and his stepmother, who were dressed much more demurely for this early morning send off than they had been for their greetings. Inuyasha was nowhere in sight. Miroku was leaning against the doorframe, his robes hastily thrown on and his hair unbound. He was rubbing at his eyes and did not look in her direction.

The litter was leaving the castle gates with Sesshoumaru riding the dragon behind it. The others who had been standing there left, but Kagome remained, watching as the king and queen went back inside. She stood there on the grass long after Sesshoumaru disappeared through the gate, after Miroku retreated back to his bed, as the sun began to rise behind the thick blanket of clouds. The sky became a hazy, dirty white.

She finally turned back towards the kitchens, walking into the wind. No one remained on the grounds. After all the activity of the king's birthday, it felt too quiet and still. Leafless trees groaned against each other in the wind and coldness grew in Kagome's heart. She hadn't felt this desolate since the day of her mother's funeral.

She remembered how cold it had been that morning, to the point that she and the other mourners had huddled together in clumps of sobbing courtiers. She and Sota had clutched each other while Myoga made soothing noises from his usual place in her hair. Her father was the only one that stood alone, silent and pale, as the pallbearers took the queen's body into the mausoleum. Kagome remembered the stench of decay that had assaulted her senses when they first opened the vault, a smell she didn't wish to associate with her mother, who had always smelled of tea and honey.

Even that morning, as despairing as she felt, she had known what was happening. She had no delusions about her mother's death. She was more than old enough to understand that it was a permanent separation of course, but she also knew that her life would always be altered in some way. Kagome accepted that part of her heart was gone, that every time she was happy, she would be thinking about how much happier she would be if her mother was there too.

But her current situation - her separation from everything she knew and loved, Inuyasha's ignorance of his servant's true identity, her constant suffering at the hands of Naraku – it filled her with more than desolation. It reached beyond heartbreak into emotions she didn't even have a name for.

And it was getting worse. Dancing with Inuyasha, surrounded by the people she was meant to be surrounded by, had not assuaged her pain, but increased it. Every moment her fingers itched to throw off her cloak, run to the prince and admit that she was his dancing partner. Part of her didn't care that she would be sent home to her father and to a self-imposed death, as long as Inuyasha knew who she was.

Kagome put her hand on the kitchen door, determined to lose herself in her work. The king had given half of the kitchen staff the day off, including the princess, but she had no desire to have the long day stretch in front of her when she had nothing to do.

"I should kill all of them."

Her hand stilled and fell back to her side. She didn't want to interrupt Naraku in one of his ranting fits. She had seen what happened to servants that did that.

There was a heavy, feminine sigh and Kagome realized that, once again, she was eavesdropping on the cook and his reluctant lover, Kagura. "They do this every time," she was saying. "They'll come in just in time to make the king's lunch, saying that they thought they were off today instead of tomorrow. Then things will get back to normal. You can't kill them for sleeping in one morning. And you can't fire them either."

Naraku's thick growl vibrated through the walls. "Fine, let them sleep. I'll work them all the harder for it when they get here."

"I'm sure you will." A chair scraped across the flagstone floor and soft footsteps came towards the door. Kagome withdrew slightly, but no one opened the door. "Meanwhile, we can spend this time figuring out what went wrong yesterday," said the witch, now directly on the other side of the door.

"You lost it, you find it, Kagura," the cook snapped.

"Hey, there's two in this game, alright? I just keep the records. I haven't even seen any of it. For all I know, you lost it intentionally," she growled in return.

Kagome heard heavier footfalls move across the floor. "That's the problem, isn't it? There's not just two in the game, as you say. There are more players here than you can imagine."

"Well, it's not like you ever let me in on your little secrets," she spat.

Naraku laughed softly. "You'll know when you have to know. When I trust you to know."

"Kagome!"

The princess turned to see Shippo trotting towards her along the path from the stables, waving his little arm. She heard the kitchen occupants fall silent and she quickly walked towards the fox kit, trying not to look suspicious. "Shippo," she answered. "Are you working today?"

The diminutive demon shook his head. "Nah, I asked the king to let you off the same day as me, remember?"

"Oh, alright." Kagome looked behind her to the silent kitchen.

"I promised to take you into the city," prompted Shippo, his eyebrows raising at the princess's distracted expression.

The girl turned to the fox demon. "What? Oh, I'm sorry. I've been a bit off this morning," she said, rubbing at her eyes. She looked back at the kitchen and her heart dropped to see the dark figure of Naraku standing in the doorway. His blood red eyes pierced her, making her certain that the only thing stopping him from an attack was the presence of Shippo, the king's favorite stable boy. Behind him, Kagome could see the defeated figure of Kagura, sporting fresh bruises on her face and neck.

The fox demon followed her line of vision and frowned at the cook. "Come on, Kagome, let's go into the city." He took the princess's hand and led her towards the servants' quarters. "Sango is coming too, right? Let's get her."

The princess pulled her gaze away from the kitchen doorway, but immediately paused in her steps, jerking Shippo backwards. "Wait. I'd forgotten. Sango will not be able to accompany us."

"Why not? She has the day off too. I checked."

Kagome frowned. "How can a slave have a day off?"

Shippo pulled away, a deep expression of disgust playing across his face. "Slave? There are no slaves in the Taisho kingdom."

"But… she said she was a slave. She said that she was captured along the border and kept here. They can't let her go because she knows too much."

"_Kagome_," said the fox, setting his jaw. "Kagome, there are _no slaves_ in the Taisho kingdom. It was outlawed a long, long time ago. The king's father freed all of them as one of his last acts before he died, hundreds of years ago. We even have a holiday for it, because we were the first kingdom to free our slaves. Sango cannot be a slave."

"But she said she was," Kagome repeated. "Why would she lie to me?"

The little fox shrugged helplessly and Kagome realized how often she forgot that he was considered exceedingly young by other youkai. He was still a child, not even a teenager, but he had been through so much, graced by the presence of a royal family even. "Maybe we should ask her," he said finally.

She nodded. "Sounds like a good idea. I can't believe that she would purposely deceive me," she said. Although I have deceived her, she added silently.

They walked into the servants' quarters, into a crowd of youkai slacking off from their work. The kitchen staff lounged around the fire, chatting and laughing about Naraku's anticipated frustration. Giving the group a cursory glance, Kagome went upstairs and slid open Sango's door without announcing herself and Shippo on her heels. One of the bedrolls was still undone and occupied. Kagome walked to the bundle of blankets and knelt down, placing a hand on the girl's shoulder. "Wake up, Sango."

The blanket moved and the girl groaned as she pushed it away from her face. "I was asleep, Kagome."

"I know, but please, we wanted you to go with us into the city. Shippo promised to show me around." She tried to keep the accusatory tone out of her voice.

Sango sat up sharply, the sleep gone from her eyes. "I told you I wasn't allowed out of the castle gates, Kagome," she murmured, his gaze flashing over to the fox demon.

"Because you're a slave," said Kagome flatly.

The former demon slayer shifted uncomfortably. "After a fashion," she said softly.

Shippo hopped up onto Sango's coverlet, balancing on her bent knees. "You can't be a slave. I told Kagome about the king's father freeing all of them." He was frowning at her, but his face had the openness of a child's innocence. "Why did you lie to Kagome?"

Sango took Kagome's hand and quirked the corners of her lips into a sad smile. "I'm very sorry, my friend. You wanted to protect me and didn't let me make that soup for you. I should have returned that trust and told you about my secret."

"I can forgive the keeping of secrets," said Kagome, as she flipped back her hood. The friends shared a brief, knowing smile. Kagome hadn't told Sango all of her own secrets after all. "I just wish you hadn't lied."

"And for that I am sorry."

Kagome smiled and they embraced, ignoring the grime that covered their skins. Kitchen servants were far too accustomed to that. Pulling away, the princess looked at her friend. "Will you tell me?"

Sango nodded, smiling at Shippo to let him know that he could remain as well. The little fox jumped into Kagome's arms as the princess settled back on her heels. "What I told you was true, for the most part," began the taijiya. "I was a part of a mission into this kingdom and I was captured and I can never go back to the Nakao kingdom, as long as I value my life. The Nakao king will kill me, and my little brother, for my failure to escape undetected. But you're right, I'm not a slave of the Taisho kingdom. When the Queen Izayoi saw us and realized what we would face when we went back home, she begged the king to let us stay, to get employment in the city."

The princess laughed softly. "She has a kind heart."

"She was immensely good to us," said Sango. "But I didn't appreciate it. The others… well, you must understand that the Nakao king was cruel to us, using our lives like there were a million people with our skills. Not a week went by without a demon injuring or killing one of us. The others were thankful to be out, to have a reason to leave. Most of them didn't have family. But I did. I had my brother and no one else was back home to take care of him. The others might have been happy but I was terrified for Kohaku. I wanted to get back to him, make sure he was okay."

Kagome's eyes darkened, lowering to look at the fox sitting alert in her arms. "I understand that."

Sango sighed heavily. "Naraku caught me trying to sneak out of the city gates. I don't know why he was there. He normally never leaves the castle grounds, but he was there that night. He told me I was ungrateful. All the other demon slayers had gladly accepted positions as guards, cooks, gardeners - whatever they actually wanted to do – in other households. I was the only one who had not chosen my own work and the queen had let me work in the castle kitchens, a superior position. He said that if he told the king, I would be suspected of bringing information back to the enemy. As kindhearted as the queen is, the king does not take his kingdom's security lightly. I would have been imprisoned."

"So Naraku made you his personal slave," guessed Kagome.

"I didn't have a choice. Imprisonment meant that I would never see Kohaku again. Being subservient to Naraku seemed like the better choice at the time."

"But that's _blackmail_," whispered the princess. "You should have gone to the king. He wouldn't have accused you of trying to steal kingdom secrets if he knew that. Not to mention that Miroku would do cartwheels once he realized how crooked Naraku is."

Sango closed her eyes. "It isn't just that. Naraku's power… I don't know how, but it stretches beyond the confines of this castle. A month before I arrived, a servant came in from another household, the home of one of the king's oldest friends. He wasn't used to Naraku and he wasn't even from the city. He had been born in the country. He humiliated Naraku. I don't know how. The others were afraid to even speak of it. They did tell me that somehow, his mother fell off of a cliff near their home. And his brother's legs were broken. He still can't walk. As for the servant, he disappeared. No one knows where he is." She swallowed hard. "So you'll understand when I say that I allow Naraku to use me as he does for one simple reason. He knows where Kohaku is. He knows how much my brother means to me and I don't doubt that he would kill him in an instant."

Kagome's gaze turned watery. "Oh, Sango. I'm so sorry."

The demon slayer shrugged. "It was my choice. It may have been a poor one. Naraku could have been bluffing about knowing where Kohaku is, but I have a feeling he was telling the truth."

"I agree," said the princess, wiping away her unshed tears. "Naraku is too much of a coward to make threats that he can't follow through upon."

"So what do we do?" asked Shippo.

Kagome sighed. "We go on a tour of the city, as planned. Just because Sango and I are both on the wrong side of who is potentially one of the more powerful chefs in the world doesn't mean that we can't enjoy our day off." She stood up and set the fox demon down before nodding at the demon slayer. "So you'll come?"

"I suppose I can, considering Naraku can't exactly stop me."

Shippo and the princess waited outside patiently as Sango put away her bedroll and changed into her thicker – although still largely threadbare – yukata. When she emerged from her room, it was clear from the red corona of her eyes that the demon slayer had been crying, but her companions said nothing. They quietly walked down the stairs and out onto the cold grounds. Kagome worried silently for the state of Sango's undress, but the demon slayer didn't seem to feel the chill.

For the first time in weeks, Kagome stepped out of the castle gates. Although inside the gates it was calm, quiet and green, once she walked into the city proper, it was noisy, dirty and alive. Demons teemed the streets, shouting to one another, jostling their bodies through what was clearly market day. Peasants from the countryside yelled about their wares and the few produce items that grew in the winter. One demon was pouring thick maple syrup into grubby jars and weighing them against a heavy rock for each customer. Another pressed every passerby to look at his woven baskets, done with a delicacy that humans could not create. It was appallingly crowded and smelled of a thousand bodies. Kagome smiled. "It's beautiful. I love it."

Shippo snorted. "Only because you've been cooped up in the kitchen all this time."

Kagome turned to her other friend to get support, but Sango's face revealed all the joy that she needed to see. The demon slayer was breathing deeply and her fingers were moving through the air, wiggling through the open air. "It is beautiful," she said after many moments. "I can't imagine anything more beautiful than this."

"Come on, Shippo. You promised a tour."

The little fox jumped down onto the unpaved street. "Alright. Let's go see the market then," he said, seeing that the girls were drawn to the lively corridor of tightly packed demons and buildings.

They walked slowly, only forcing themselves through the crowd when it threatened to separate the three friends. Kagome bought little sausages for them to eat at lunchtime. "What?" she had asked as they had watched her counting out almost two week's wage for the morsels of food for the butcher. "What else would I buy?"

As they munched happily (if not a little guiltily) on their bits of meat, they emerged from the crowds of the market. Shippo told them what each building was: the inn, the tavern, the wheelwright's shop, the whorehouse. Kagome had nearly choked to hear the last description come from his mouth. "You know about those things?" she asked.

"Everyone knows where the disreputable whores are," he said, as they made a turn. They had reached the city walls and would walk up another street, parallel to the last one. "The geishas are on the main avenue of course, but this isn't the best part of town if you hadn't noticed."

Kagome looked around. The buildings were in disrepair and the few youkai around them were clothed shabbily. "I couldn't tell," she said quietly, wondering if she had become desensitized to squalor. "Does the king know about this?"

Shippo frowned slightly. "Yeah, of course."

"You must understand, Kagome. The king has many concerns, not the least of which are his people," said Sango, seeing the distress on her friend's face. "The poor of the Taisho kingdom are quite well taken care of, but they are for the most part invalids. He can only do much for them in a culture which prizes physical strength and fighting ability over everything else."

The princess spotted an elderly demon sitting in his dilapidated doorway with only one leg and severely scarred arms. "But some of these are surely war veterans? How can he forget them?" she asked, jarred by the idea that the king was not so benevolent as she previously believed.

Shippo averted his eyes from the old youkai. "He's one of the traitors. It's enough that the king took their kind in after they were exiled from all the other demon kingdoms."

"Traitors?"

Sango put a hand on Kagome's forearm, urging her forward. "When the demon kings were forced to go to war with the human kings ages ago over Queen Izayoi, it wasn't entirely split between the species. There were many demons that believed that a human queen was not worth the blood split, but there were a few that went so far as to join the human side because of that belief. They hated the idea so much that they were willing to take up arms against their own brethren. After the demon kings won, the humans gave no mercy to the demons that had fought for them and kicked them out."

"The demon kings weren't happy to see them though," said Shippo, picking up the narrative. "They punished them severely and then exiled them. Only the Taisho kingdom refused to torture the traitors and even took the others in. Every once in awhile, one of them acts up and the king is forced to execute them, but otherwise, he's been all too kind."

Kagome remembered her father and how he had probably long ago signed the papers for her arrest. She was guilty of treason in the Nakao kingdom, punishable by death, torture or the forced marriage to her own kin. "I suppose so," she said in response to their expectant stares. "But I think that there can be legitimate reasons for someone to act in a way others would say is irrational or wrong."

The demon slayer and fox demon looked unconvinced, but didn't say so as they headed down the next street, back towards the castle. Kagome searched for another subject to talk about. Hadn't her mother always warned her not to speak politics? Even your friends will become your adversaries, she had said.

"You really are turning into a demon," she commented, nodding at Sango's nearly bare arms.

The taijiya smiled uneasily. "Kagura says that all the time. I suppose she would know."

Shippo jumped up to Kagome's shoulder and turned to the other girl. "It's good to be a demon. You don't get sick or cold and you can survive a lot of stuff that would kill a weaker human body. You'll live a long time too."

Kagome watched as Sango's forehead crinkled. "Maybe she doesn't want to live a long time, Shippo," suggested the princess. "Not without Miroku anyway."

"Kagome!"

The little fox demon nearly fell off of his perch as he shook violently, trying to suppress his laughter. Kagome took him into her hands so that she didn't have to worry about him toppling over as she grinned at her friend. "I know that you're still sad about that note, but I think that you're being much too realistic. Things like this have a funny way of working out, you know? Otherwise, why would we bother falling in love at all?"

Sango shrugged. "Sometimes I think that the royals have it right, that arranged marriages are the best." She sighed as her shoulders slumped. "If I was home, I would have been married off by now."

"I thought you said you didn't have any family besides your brother. Who would have forced you to marry a man you didn't want?" asked Kagome.

"There are so few women in the demon slaying village with my skills that I would have been highly desirable," said the taijiya. "There was a match-maker who lived nearby. She would have seen to it that I would have been married off."

Kagome shook her head. "Well, I know that arranged marriages aren't exactly fun either, especially if you've been put with an unsuitable match."

Sango gave her friend a scrutinizing look and then softened. "Perhaps, but I don't think I would have minded terribly. It was the village pastime to talk about who would be placed with who and I wasn't entirely displeased with the man they thought would be my match."

"Who was it?" asked Shippo, leaning forward in Kagome's arms.

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Inuyasha let out a whoosh of air as the blunt end of the shinai hit him squarely in the chest. He back-pedaled a few steps and placed a hand to his breastbone. "Damn it, Miroku!"

"I cannot be blamed if you were not paying attention," said the diplomat, holding his bamboo sword lightly in his hands. "Considering how much longer you've been doing this and the fact that I usually fight with a staff, I'm impressed with myself that I even got a hit."

The hanyou prince grumbled and rolled his shoulders, lubricating the joints. "Alright. Again."

"Are you sure you want to face me?"

"Shut up and attack me, you pervert," snapped Inuyasha, trying to focus on the diplomat's movements. A second later, he was sitting on the floor and his shoulder stung with the promise of another bruise. "Oy! What's with you?"

Miroku shrugged. "It's not my fault that you refuse to wear armor for our little sparring practices," he said, shifting the breastplate of the kendo protective gear back into place. He removed the helmet and looked down at his companion. "Two hits for me. I should be asking what is wrong with you."

The prince growled as he got to his feet. "Nothing."

"Is this nothing actually a something with long legs, the face of an angel and wrapped in a golden kimono?" the diplomat inquired with a grin.

"Shut up," the prince said again. He rubbed at his shoulder as he placed the shinai on the rack with the other practice swords. "I stood at the city gates all morning, watching every single noble leave. She wasn't there! How could I have missed her?"

Miroku shrugged as he began to shed his armor. Normally, the two friends stayed until he was about to drop from what Inuyasha called his 'weak human exhaustion' but he was barely sweaty this morning. Aside from which, when the prince began to actually speak more than two words at a time, the diplomat knew enough to listen. Something was weighing heavily on the hanyou's mind if he was willing to discuss it with his friend. "Perhaps she is the daughter of one of the city nobles," he suggested "Adopted, of course, as she is human. Or perhaps she is staying with one of them."

"I asked already," replied Inuyasha sullenly. "Besides, we would have heard about a human noble staying with anyone in the city."

"Then I have no idea," said the diplomat. "I thought your nose was never mistaken."

The hanyou tucked his hands into his sleeves. "It isn't! But it has to be." He frowned deeply. "And then there's Thousandfurs."

Miroku raised an eyebrow. "What does she have to do with anything?"

Inuyasha shrugged. "I'm not sure, but maybe everything. I know she was lying when she told me that she had nothing to do with that arrowhead ending up in my soup. I could smell her fear."

"She may have been fearful because she was in your presence," said the diplomat. "You aren't very nice to her."

The prince waved away this suggestion. "No, that wasn't it. She was hiding something. I can at least tell that! She knows something. I think that whoever I danced with that night went to her for some reason, and asked her to put that arrowhead into my food. And then the girl escaped the castle grounds. I don't know how. That's what I think happened."

Miroku frowned in thought. "Perhaps…" He laughed at himself. "No, that's just too ridiculous. Why would anyone hide their own beauty like that? What would be the purpose?"

"You're talking to yourself, pervert," said Inuyasha, his eyebrow raised.

The diplomat smiled at his friend. "Maybe, but I think I agree with you, my prince. I think that Thousandfurs probably knows this new dancing partner of yours. The servant had been travelling for some time before settling here after all. I will ask Thousandfurs myself. You probably intimidated her."

The prince wrinkled his brow. "Alright. Do it now."

"Now, now?" asked Miroku.

"Yes!" snapped Inuyasha. "Do it before I get my focus back and smack you on the head with a _real_ sword!"

Miroku sighed and bowed his way out of the dojo. "So touchy," he murmured, shivering as the cool air hit his heated skin.

A few inquiries later, the diplomat found out that the fur-covered servant had gone into the city with her two friends for the day, including the lovely Sango. Pleased that he would be serving his own purposes as well as the prince's that day, he quickly made his way to the market. It was already mid afternoon and so he figured they would be heading back soon. They wouldn't miss dinner after all. Especially not Shippo.

Wandering through the thinning crowds of the market, he finally spotted the russet fur of the fox demon, sitting in the arms of a distinctly fuzzy small girl. He smiled and raised his hand to greet them when he caught their conversation in his ears.

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"Takeda Kuranosuke," Sango replied softly. "He was the son of the leader of our village. Really, he was running it because his father was so ill."

"Was he handsome?" asked Kagome with a smile.

The demon slayer blushed. "Yes, very much so. And very kind as well. When Kohaku and I became orphans, he made sure that we had food every night and water brought to us from the well each morning. If it hadn't been for him, Kohaku and I may have died because we could hardly care about ourselves at that point." Her blush darkened even further. "When I had recovered from the loss of my father, he offered to marry me. He said he loved me and wanted a strong, trustworthy wife."

"Why didn't you marry him?"

Sango shrugged. "I could have, I suppose, but I was still too young. And then I got sent on the mission that brought me here… and well, you know the rest."

Kagome hugged Shippo closer. "Do you want to go back?"

"I want to see Kohaku again," she said.

"I know, but what about Kuranosuke?"

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Miroku leaned forward as much as he dared to from his hiding place. No one seemed to be recognizing him at the moment, which was divine providence, but one demon with a bunch of spices in little jars was looking at him eagerly. He could expect a full-blown sales pitch in a few minutes. But what about this Kuranosuke, he screamed in his mind. Did she love him?

Sango was looking nervous, biting her lip in an endearing way that only made him think lewd thoughts, but just as she was about to answer, the merchant came up to him. "Sir, you should take a look at my fine collection of spices. Sesame! Peppercorn! I even have saffron today, sir! A rare find! No one else has it today, I can assure you!"

The diplomat tried to wave the demon away. "I don't cook," he said shortly, watching Sango's lips moving and cursing his inability to hear them. They were moving away. He had to keep up with them and not be seen!

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Sango bit her lip. "He was kind and he loved me, or so he said," replied the girl. "But I couldn't love him back. He could be very arrogant sometimes. He acted as if I was meant for him from the moment I was born. I felt like a prize sometimes. And on more than one occasion, a male friend I made during practice or on a mission would suddenly be reassigned to another team. It was rude."

Kagome nodded her understanding. "And you love Miroku now."

They began to walk towards the castle gates again. "Sometimes I love him more than I can even express," said the demon slayer. "And sometimes, I hate him for the situation he has put me in." Her face softened. "Mostly, I love him, even when I do hate him. Isn't that ridiculous? But I don't think I could be with any other man after he has expressed his love for me."

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Miroku finally shook off the merchant and raced forward, dodging the youkai and pressing himself up against the wall as best he could. The three friends had reached the end of the avenue and soon he would be without cover as they traversed the wide path between the city buildings and the castle gates. His heart dropped to see Sango's face gentle and loving. Were they talking about this other man still? He prayed to Kami that it wasn't true.

He hid in the last crevasse that the ancient building afforded him before he would have to go out into the open. A moment later, he wished that he hadn't been so successful.

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"You should go to him," said Kagome. "Tell him that you love him in return."

Sango laughed. "He may as well be a thousand miles away, my friend. I'm not a demon slayer anymore. I have no status in this world whereas he remains important and revered. Even Takeda, as much as he proclaimed to love me, would not accept me as I am right now even if I bowed down at his feet."

Kagome shook her head. "Once again, you're not being…" She trailed off and turned around sharply. "Did you see that?" she asked, her eyes flashing across the crowds in the market street.

"See what?" asked Shippo, hopping up onto her shoulder. "What are we looking for?"

"I could have sworn… I could have sworn I caught a glimpse of Miroku out of the corner of my eye. Right there, where the buildings end. I thought I saw him turn out of the shadows and go back down the street." She craned her neck, searching for the purple and blue robed diplomat.

Shippo lifted his nose to the air but shook his head. "I can't tell. There are too many demons here for the scent of one human to get through."

Sango was pale. "If it was him… you don't think he heard us, do you?" She covered her face with her hands. "It would be mortifying if he knew how I felt about him."

Kagome was frowning. "I don't know. I seem to think that he didn't look entirely pleased." She turned to her shaking friend and lay a hand on her wrist. "Which means that he didn't hear us. If he knew how much you loved him, he would have pranced right up to us and given you a kiss and a grope!" She laughed, more at her own crude words, unsuitable for any princess, than the idea of Miroku groping her friend. That was an idea she had long become accustomed to.

"If it was even him," said Shippo, his emerald eyes still searching the sea of youkai. "There must be a lot of demons who wear purple and blue, right?"

"Of course," replied Kagome with a smile. "Come on, it's getting dark. It's time for dinner."

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A/N: I hope that last bit wasn't too confusing! Basically, Miroku heard all the wrong parts of their conversation. (I would hope you at least got that! Haha.) Anyway, it's a tad shorter than usual – like, a page, so I don't want too many complaints – but I thought it went decently well. Read and review! Please?


	9. Moonless Nights

Thousandfurs

Chapter 9: Moonless Nights

Kagome walked down the garden path in the dying twilight. She drew the fur cloak closer around her shoulders and looked back to see the kitchen chimney spewing out thick smoke. The half of the kitchen servants that hadn't received the day off had finally returned to their duties and Naraku was working them hard to make up for lost time. And out of a sadistic sense of justice, she added mentally. Still, she thought longingly of the warmth of the fires and how nice it would be to sit beside them in peace.

"That will never happen as long as Naraku lives," said a familiar voice.

The princess caught her breath and looked up to see Miroku sitting on a cold stone bench twenty paces ahead of her. In his dark robes, she hadn't even noticed him. "How do you know what I was thinking?" she asked, moving closer.

He shrugged and Kagome noticed that for the first time since she had known him, he was not smiling. "It's not hard to guess your thoughts when you speak them aloud," he replied.

"Oh." She frowned at him, seeing the way he was hunched over, his arms carelessly resting on his knees. She could have sworn that she saw the shiny trails of tears on his cheeks too. "What are you doing out here?"

The diplomat straightened his back and looked up at the darkening sky. "Thinking, telling myself I should be grateful for what I do have and not mourning the loss of something I apparently never had," he said, not noticing Kagome's deepening frown at his cryptic comments. His shoulders slumped again. "Not that it's helping. Every breath is painful right now."

Kagome came to his side. "How long have you been sitting here?" she gasped, pulling one of his hands to her body. It was icy and pale and, when she looked up, she could see the blue of his lips. "You should be inside. You'll get sick."

He shrugged again. "I don't particularly care at the moment."

"You will once you're coughing up blood and sweating under a million blankets from a fever," she replied sharply. She pulled on his arm. "Come on, I'll get you to the castle. They're making dinner for you right now. You don't want all of the others' hard work to go to waste, do you? And you need some warm food."

"Ah, yes," he said, his tone dry. "I wouldn't care for that. Have you enjoyed your day off, Kagome?"

She blinked at the rapid change in subject, but he was getting up now, so she hardly wanted to argue. "I have. Shippo took Sango and me on a tour of the city. And then we actually relaxed a bit during dinner. It was nice to have a day without work and sweat."

He began to shuffle along beside her at a maddeningly slow pace, resisting all attempts on Kagome's part to hurry them along. The cold was seeping into her bones now too and she wondered how Miroku had survived so long, sitting in one place without any additional clothes on his back. She realized that he must have some demon blood in him as well. Any other human would have frozen to death long ago. "So Sango is alright," he said after a few moments' silence, as if he had been aching to say it the whole time.

Kagome grinned at him. "Yes, of course! I believe she may be coming to realize some very important things about her future." Her frown returned as Miroku clutched at his heart. "What's wrong? Are you sick?"

He gave her a watery smile. "I shall be fine. I am glad to hear that Sango is on the path she feels is best for her."

"Is everything alright with you two, Miroku?" she asked, wondering what could possibly have transpired between the time of dinner and her walk in the gardens.

The diplomat nodded slowly. "I believe that things are exactly as they should be between us," he said softly.

Kagome bit her lip. "Then, things aren't progressing? Or they are?" she asked.

"Things are changing, yes," he replied.

The princess sighed heavily. She didn't know what was plaguing the diplomat's thoughts, but clearly he thought that she ought to already know. Or he was just being secretive intentionally. Either way, she was becoming quickly frustrated and decided to forget it. The gossip of the castle would eventually tell her what she wished to know. With Miroku still shuffling beside her, Kagome remembered her vow from a few days before. "May I ask you about Inuyasha-sama?"

Miroku looked at her, his eyebrows raised slightly. "I would imagine anything you have to ask me could be answered by any of the kitchen staff," he said faintly.

"Well, yes, but with them I never know if I'm getting the truth. They tend to exaggerate, obscure things and such. I figure you would know the truth and won't lie to me."

"Very well," he said. "What do you wish to know?"

Slightly surprised by his willingness to talk about his best friend's private affairs, Kagome decided to explain herself. "When I was serving Inuyasha-sama the soup the kitchen had prepared—."

"You mean that _you_ had prepared," he interjected dully.

"Um, yes, that I had prepared," she amended. "Anyway, the Princess Kikyo arrived and words were exchanged between the two of them. I feel that this is old gossip, but I was simply curious." She was lying through her teeth. She was more than curious about the prince's relationship with the rude princess, but she hoped that Miroku wouldn't notice in his state. "May I ask what happened between them?"

The diplomat shrugged. "Why not? Everyone else knows. It _is_ old gossip." He sighed and scratched at the nape of his neck. "He loved her," he said simply.

Kagome frowned, but nodded, having expected those words. "And she did not love him in return?" she asked sadly. As much as it pained her to hear that Inuyasha had been in love with the woman everyone said was her mirror image, she could not bear to hear that it had been unrequited. He didn't deserve that.

"She said that she did," Miroku replied. "They had met during a peace mission to her kingdom and then the prince or the princess was constantly visiting the other after that. They were engaged within a year of meeting."

"The king and queen must have been very pleased," murmured Kagome.

He shook his head. "Not really. Although they have good relations with the Kobayashi kingdom, I never got the feeling that the king and queen warmed up to the princess. I once caught the queen privately telling the king that Kikyo-sama was a 'cold fish', if I remember her words correctly."

The princess's heartened lightened considerably with this news. As little as she knew about the royal couple, the king and queen seemed to be good judges of character, if you overlooked their one mishap of hiring Naraku, of course. "So what happened then?" she asked the diplomat, who had fallen silent once again. Really, she thought bitterly, it was like pulling teeth from a sick horse to get the man to talk.

"Rumors, of course," he said, shrugging. "I have no idea if they were true, but I do know they damaged the relationship. The princess supposedly betrayed Inuyasha's confidence on several occasions with several males, both human and demon. So you can see why the prince trusts no one anymore."

Kagome's eyes suddenly prickled with unshed tears. Her light heart plummeted right back down into her stomach. "So they called off the engagement?" she asked quietly.

Miroku's steps seemed to slow down even more. "No, that would have been the kind thing to do, but Inuyasha loved her and refused to give up. He was willing to do anything for her. When she demanded that they have a human wedding, instead of a demon mating ceremony, he agreed. It ruffled a few feathers, but no harm done. When she asked to wear the royal jewels at their engagement feast, he gave them to her, despite that no female has ever worn them that has not already been mated to the heir. The people started to whisper in earnest about traditions being broken. But the final straw was when, against my express advice, Inuyasha gave a declaration that Kikyo would be his equal upon the throne, sharing all of his considerations and decisions."

The princess frowned again. Although her own kingdom had been largely patriarchal – no woman had ever held the throne alone – the Taisho kingdom had seemed considerably more liberal in their rules about such things. "But Queen Izayoi shares the king's decisions, doesn't she?"

"After much time spent learning youkai ways and laws," he replied. "The queen worked to gain the trust of a people very different from herself. Kikyo was seen as a potential usurper, not committed to the ways of the demon kingdoms and strong-arming the one heir this kingdom had left."

The shadow of the castle loomed over them and Kagome stopped, looking up to the balcony she knew belonged to the prince. "Is that why they hate him?"

"One of the major reasons, yes," said Miroku. "But the thing that really defeated him was the fact that on the morning of the wedding, held in the shrine beyond the castle gates, Kikyo was nowhere to be found. She had left Inuyasha. There was only a note saying that she regretted her late decision but that it could not be helped. She could not marry a half-demon that everyone hated."

"Never mind that she made them hate him," murmured Kagome, still on the verge of tears. The sun was almost gone now, but she looked up again and could see the outline of a figure in Inuyasha's window. "And she is still so horrible to him. It must be painful to watch the one person you love be content apart for you."

Miroku shrugged and stepped away from her. "I have duties to attend to," he said softly.

Kagome raised an eyebrow at his quick exit, but bowed to him and said goodbye. It was getting late and she was sure that Naraku would be especially irritable in the morning. Before she went off to the servants' quarters, she turned to look one last time at the prince's window, glowing softly with the light of the oil lamps.

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The prince watched the fur-covered girl walk back towards the kitchens and frowned. What had she and that lecher been talking about so intently? He had a feeling he knew what the subject was, although he didn't want to believe that the diplomat would have disclosed such information. His stomach turned to think of the lowest scullery maid pitying _him_. He was the prince of a powerful demon kingdom, for Kami's sake! Who needed the pity of the girl who scrubbed his dirty plates?

There was a knock at his door and he turned away from the window to sniff the air. "Come in, Mother… and Father," he muttered, defeated.

The two monarchs stepped into the room and closed the door behind them. "Good evening, Inuyasha," said the queen with a smile.

"Mother," he replied with a frown. "I take that this isn't a visit to tuck me into bed?"

"Inuyasha, your mother and I have been discussing the events of the last feast," said the king. "We believe that it is time for you to take a mate. If you wish to take that girl you were dancing with as your mate, we will support you in your decision."

The prince scowled. "I barely know her."

"But you're taken with her," observed the queen.

Inuyasha looked at his parents, suddenly angry at their interference. "What do you think, Father?" he said. "You're being unusually serious and quiet. Think it will be Kikyo all over again?" He held up his hand, stopping his father from opening his mouth. "Don't tell me it was a valuable lesson that I learned. Don't tell me I'm better off without her. And _don't_ tell me that things will get better next time. I've heard it all a million times, you know?"

The king frowned and crossed his arms. Inuyasha thought for a moment that his father was more imposing, standing in the middle of his room in the most casual yukata that he possessed, than he was sitting on his throne with his crown, dispensing justice. "Let me be clear, Inuyasha," he began, "my concern in all of this is not just for you. You are my son and I do love you, although I may rarely say it. I regret many things in my life regarding my treatment of you. I have not been the best of fathers. But unlike other fathers, I do not just have you to care for. I have this entire kingdom to care for. And in order to preserve it, I must have a grandchild. From you. You are the heir and you have responsibilities."

Inuyasha took a breath. "Don't you think I know all this?" he snapped back. "It's not like I haven't tried, Father. Remember? It wasn't my fault that I got _left_, twenty minutes before I was supposed to get _married_ in some goddamn human ceremony!"

"Inuyasha!" cried the queen. She laid a hand on her mate's arm. "You are not helping either, dear!"

The prince rubbed a hand across his face. "Mother… Mom, look, I just don't want to talk about this right now."

Izayoi frowned, looking remarkably like her mate. "Inuyasha, if your father isn't dealing with this correctly… with _you_ correctly, it is because he was cleaning up the mess Kikyo left when she ran off." She stepped closer to her son and drew him into a one-sided embrace. "I know it hurt, darling. I can't imagine how much, but you see, Kikyo didn't just leave you, she left our entire kingdom. As much as I disliked her, as much pain you went through even before she left, she was, at the time, our only hope for the continuation of the Taisho line."

"Now we have another chance," rumbled the king, falling silent when the queen shot him a warning look.

Inuyasha pulled away from his mother. "I'm aware of my responsibility. I'm not _trying_ to avoid it." He threaded his claws through his hair. "This new girl… I don't even know her name. I don't know where she's from and I don't even know if she has a title."

"You know that you like her enough to think about her beyond one dance," said the queen with a smile. "And I could tell that she likes you. Isn't that enough to start on?"

The prince shook his head. "As someone once told me, it's only a matter of time before a woman wants to run from me. This new girl will be no different."

Izayoi's frowned. "And who would tell you that?" She got a look from her son. "Oh."

Her son smiled sardonically. "Feh. Even Koga hates her, you know? Says she smells of death and dirt and that her personality is even worse. Never thought I'd agree with him on anything. Of course, he was also sniffing around this new one."

"I think that he would find it a hard battle to fight, considering the girl has already chosen which male she prefers," replied the queen.

Inuyasha snorted. "Knowing that jerk, his idea of courtship would be kidnapping her and demanding to become her mate. I think I got that beat, unless she's the most naïve girl in the world." He shrugged. "Which would just be my luck, actually."

"We have resources, son," said the king softly, not entirely sure he wouldn't get another withering stare from his mate. When he didn't, he looked at his younger child. "We could probably find out who the girl is and begin negotiations with her family."

The queen rolled her eyes. "How romantic," she muttered.

Inuyasha's ears flattened against his skull. "I'll find her myself, Father. I think she would prefer that."

"Maybe she will show up at the festival for the New Year," suggested Izayoi.

"If she doesn't, I will begin to look for her," said the king.

Izayoi gave a little frustrated sigh and pulled on her mate's arm. "Goodnight, Inuyasha. We are so pleased that you're considering taking a mate. And remember, we love you." She glared at the king as they left the room, who was giving her a confused shrug and a soft 'what?'

Just as Inuyasha was about to relax, his mother popped her head back in the room. "Sorry, darling. Your father is just a bit on edge lately, you understand?"

The prince nodded. "I suppose," he replied. As famous as he was for being difficult, his mother was one of the few people that brought out his agreeable side. He hated it sometimes. Which was his true personality? His mother's son or a kingdom's scorn? He wasn't certain anymore.

"And remember, tomorrow night…" She trailed off and gave him a warm smile. "We'll miss you at dinner."

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Miroku placed the small black stone on the board. "Your turn."

"I don't want to play anymore."

The diplomat sighed and looked down at the wild pattern of black and white stones. "This is the worst game we've ever played. I guess it is wise to give up for now." He swept the pieces into the cloth bag and put aside the board. "Still distracted by the mysterious beauty?"

The prince scowled. "More like what my father wants me to do with the 'mysterious beauty'."

"Ah." Miroku crossed his arms and leaned back on his cushion.

Inuyasha gave his friend a bemused glance. "What? No jokes about how I need to make more pups? Or how much I'll enjoy it?" He shook his black locks. "It's enough that I get stuck in this lonely tower once a month, with only a lecher like you for company, but I have to deal with you being in a bad mood too?"

"You aren't the only one to be plagued by a beauty, Inuyasha," he replied sullenly. "Although mine is considerably less of a mystery."

"Sango." The prince set his mouth into a thin line. "I thought that she liked you. I could smell it on her."

Miroku raised an eyebrow. "Now who is being the lecher?" he asked tonelessly as he poured them both a generous cup of sake. He set the carafe down heavily. "She loves someone else."

"That sounds familiar," muttered Inuyasha. "At least the 'someone else' part does."

The diplomat rested his head in his hands for a moment before taking a long draught of the sake. "Some guy from her old village. He took care of her and her brother when their parents died."

The prince took his own cup. "Why doesn't she go back to him?"

Miroku shrugged. "Does it matter? She'll get the courage to leave here soon enough and if she doesn't… well, you should have heard how kind he had been to her. Who can compete with that?" he asked.

"You're a diplomat in a powerful demon kingdom. I'm a prince." He sighed and drained his cup. "Who would have thought we couldn't get the girls we actually wanted?"

"At least yours likes you." He stared at the bottom of his cup. "Sango loves a man she hasn't seen in years. She could be pining over a married man who has three fat kids by now."

Inuyasha let out a hollow laugh. "If you and Sango were demons, I would suggest sending one of my father's assassins to take care of the guy. I don't think you frail humans would take so kindly to something like that though."

Miroku shook his head. "Unfortunately not. I'm starting to consider it though."

The prince stood up and looked out the only window to the moonless night. The tower in which he spent his human nights was far from the castle gates. It was a remnant from the war against the humans, although even back then it had been lonely, far from any of the other watchtowers. The trees had grown up around it over the years so that the only place you could look was up. "We're pathetic," he growled. "Sitting here, mourning the loss of girls we never really had. Hell, I didn't even know my woman's name."

"You'll never know it if you call her your woman to her face," muttered the diplomat dryly.

Inuyasha turned and picked up the quarter-staff that Miroku had brought along. "Come on, let's spar outside."

The diplomat sighed. "You didn't bring a weapon, Inuyasha."

"So? We'll test my human strength."

Miroku got to his feet and adjusted his robes. "You may possess your battle knowledge in this form, Inuyasha, but you do not possess the demon strength to execute most of your common attacks. I, on the other hand, am becoming stronger by the day. The king says that my complete transformation into a demonic force is growing closer. You would be defeated."

"Forget the staff then," said the prince. He saw the diplomat's eyebrows rise. "What? I need to let off some steam about this whole girl thing. Be grateful that I'm not a demon tonight."

"Inuyasha, I am not only here to be your company during these nights. I am here to be your guard, to make sure that the secret of your transformation remains a secret." Miroku shifted uncomfortably under the prince's heavy stare. "Your father is a good man with a very bad temper."

The hanyou rolled his eyes as he stuffed his hands into his sleeves. "Believe me, I know," he said. "But playing board games isn't going to help, and neither is moaning about our problems."

"Ah, so the natural solution is to beat each other up?" asked Miroku.

"Well, the pain will distract us for a bit," admitted the prince. He grabbed the quarter-staff and tossed it to his friend. "Bring it for your peace of mind. Then you can claim you've been the proper bodyguard for a prince. Now let's go kick the crap out of each other."

Miroku propped the weapon over his shoulder and sighed again. "I suppose it's high time to test if I have acquired any demon healing abilities yet."

"That's the masochistic spirit," replied Inuyasha, pulling on the door handle. He sighed and held out his hand. "Key."

"Right," said the diplomat, pushing past his friend and drawing the dirty key from his robes. It was tied to his innermost layer. It would be one thing to allow the prince to get hurt, it would be another to have a battalion of the king's men come and get them out of a locked tower.

They descended the spiral staircase and unlocked another door to escape back into the crisp air. The small stable nearby was quiet except for the snorting of their two horses. Miroku hoped that they wouldn't get an earful from Shippo for leaving the animals in the stable instead of inviting them to share the tower's two cots. Although, he mused as he shivered, the warmth would be welcome. He lit the two torches on either side of the tower door, casting a strong glow over the white covered ground.

Inuyasha was shivering beside him. "Dammit, I'd forgotten how weak this human skin is. Come on, let's move a bit."

Miroku let the quarter-staff lean against the tower wall and faced the prince. "Any rules?" he asked, holding up his palms. His martial arts were a bit rusty, but Inuyasha had never really adhered to a single discipline, so he felt it best to improvise. He just hoped he wouldn't end up with a broken neck.

"Nah," muttered the prince. "Well, no hits below the belt. If my woman problems don't turn out to be such problems, I don't want to have _other_ problems, you know?"

"I'm not sure," sighed the diplomat. "But I agree to the terms."

The prince ran forward, spreading his arms towards the diplomat. Miroku moved to the side and swiftly kicked the hanyou in the kidneys as he passed by, sending up a flurry of snow as the hanyou hit the ground. "Dammit!" he groaned, getting to his feet.

"I told you that I would easily defeat you," Miroku murmured. "Take comfort in the fact that once morning comes, you could send me to meet Kami-sama with a single move."

"That's comforting, considering you're my bodyguard tonight and all," muttered the prince.

Miroku smiled and shrugged. "We can all only do our best, Inuyasha."

The hanyou snorted. "Right. Get ready."

They fought for an hour or more, tiring themselves out to the point of exhaustion. Each sported large red marks all over their bodies, which would soon turn into ugly bruises. However, they were both pleased to find that Inuyasha's human strength didn't lack so much that he couldn't take on the diplomat. Even as a human, the prince could defend himself against any other human or weak demon.

"The problem being, of course, that if anyone wanted to kill you during your one night of weakness, they probably wouldn't send a weak youkai," panted Miroku as he leaned against a tall cedar. He was clutching his side, where he suspected he had severely bruised his ribs.

Inuyasha was sitting in the snow ten feet away. "Well, it's almost dawn, so I don't think we have to worry about it tonight anyway," he said. His hair was plastered to his forehead with sweat and despite the cold, he had shed the outer layer of his kimono.

"Come on, you're going to get cold real fast like that," said the diplomat, groaning as he pushed himself away from the tree and towards the tower.

"Yes, Mother," he replied, standing and brushing the snow from his clothes.

Miroku rolled his eyes and turned to the door, his hand freezing inches from the latch. "Inuyasha… where is my quarter-staff?"

The prince strolled up and looked at where the weapon had been resting. "It fell?" he suggested.

"And then walked away?" said the diplomat warily. He gave his friend a penetrating stare. "You're sure you didn't take it?"

Inuyasha opened his hands. "And put it where? It's my brother who has the pole up his ass, not me."

The diplomat rolled his eyes as he turned his back to the tower and looked out to the darkened woods. The two torches sent their light out to a distance of about ten yards, but beyond that, the moonless night allowed little visibility other than the imposing shadows of bare trees. "I can't see a damn thing," muttered Miroku. "How did we miss someone being so close?"

"Maybe whoever is out there didn't grab the staff personally. You know a lot of demons have powers to move objects without touching them." He exchanged a dark glance with his friend. They had both heard stories of demons in the woods, exiled long ago by the more civilized youkai and who preyed upon the weak that were foolish enough to wander into their territory. Many of them were said to have supernatural powers, beyond even the normal youkai capabilities. They were little more than animals and were said to even have lost the capability of speech. The tales were widely regarded as myth, but some said that the darker-hearted demons would wander into the forests to commune with the wild youkai.

Miroku shook his head. "Whatever is out here, it's sentient," he said softly. "It knows enough to keep out of our sight and take our only weapon."

Inuyasha frowned and set his jaw. "Why do we have only one weapon in the first place?"

"Because we're not supposed to need any," said the diplomat, sighing. "And we're supposed to stay in the tower, which has reinforced doors. We're supposed to be safe and warm right now."

The hanyou reached up and grabbed one of the torches out of its sconce. "Well, if you're truly becoming a youkai, you should be able to see better without this bright light," he said, plowing the fiery end into the snow.

Miroku grabbed the prince's wrist as he reached for the other light source. "Or, we will be giving the advantage to a youkai who truly can see in the dark."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes, wrested his arm from the diplomat's grasp and took hold of the second torch. "If the guy out there can take your quarter-staff without us seeing them and see in the dark and the light, we're dead already," he said, extinguishing the flame like the first. "Learn to live dangerously, pervert."

"I have enough danger in my life with you around, Inuyasha," said the diplomat as they were plunged into darkness.

"Shut up and start looking around," he snapped.

Miroku sighed and let his eyes rove around the quiet forest. Black at first, his vision quickly adjusted to just the starlight. The trees sharpened and stood out against the white background of the snowdrifts. He remembered the cloudiness of his human vision and realized that it was as if he had been given a magnifying glass to examine his surroundings.

"See anything?" whispered the prince.

The diplomat shook his head. "Not yet, but… you know, I think I can hear better too," he said in amazement. He listened for a few moments to the creaking of the tree boughs in the wind, of icicles falling and shattering in the distance, and of the snow crystals scattering across the top frozen crust of the ground. "Is this how you live everyday?"

"When there aren't perverted diplomats around that talk incessantly," groused Inuyasha. He walked around the edge of the tower and looked around. A soft growl erupted from his throat. "Looks like the sun is rising."

Miroku turned and began to examine the woods behind him. The trees were tall enough to hide the horizon. "How do you know?"

Inuyasha looked over at his friend and tapped his nose. "I can smell it."

The diplomat nodded, thankful that the prince would be returning to top form soon enough. He _had_ to discuss this whole 'bodyguard' thing with the king sometime. As he was thinking this, a movement caught his attention to the left. "There," he whispered, sure that the hanyou would hear him. Inuyasha appeared at his side a moment later and Miroku blinked. Once again there were just the trees. "Damn, it's gone. But there was someone."

"Who did it look like?" the prince asked, using a normal voice once again.

Miroku frowned and stepped forward into the dark shadow of the trees. When he reemerged, he held the quarter-staff in his hands. "I must say, they looked as if they were wearing a fur cloak."

Inuyasha shook his head as if he was trying to get water out of his ears. "What? You mean, Thousandfurs?"

"Perhaps, but I don't think so," replied the diplomat. "Maybe whoever it was wanted it to look like it was Kagome, or it was just a coincidence. It is winter after all. It looked… well, almost like a baboon cloak."

The prince frowned. "Strange. Why would anyone be out here?"

"I can only think of one explanation, Your Highness," said Miroku with a sigh. "Since whoever it was obviously had no desire to kill you – at the moment at least – we must conclude that they were here to determine that you actually turn human one night of each month. Now this demon knows your weakness, and worse, he knows where you hide during these nights." He sighed again and gave his temporary charge a serious look.

Inuyasha held up his hands. "Hey, you're not thinking of telling my father all of this, are you? It's not a big deal!"

"I disagree," said the diplomat. "You are the only heir to the Taisho throne. The king should know that his son could be in danger."

"He doesn't need more to worry about," murmured the hanyou, his brows knitting together. "Just tell him we should take more weapons next time."

Miroku unlocked the door and they walked up to the cots on the second floor. "I can't do that, Inuyasha. I am your friend, of course, but my loyalty lies with the preservation of the Taisho throne. That is my first responsibility."

"Is that why you told Thousandfurs all about my sordid past?" he snapped, sitting down heavily on his bed.

The diplomat's eyes widened. "I told her what she could find out from any other inhabitant of this kingdom. She came to me because she said she wanted the unblemished truth. I saw no problem with disclosing it. I thought you would have preferred that instead of more lies being spread about the whole incident."

Inuyasha lay down and covered his eyes with his forearms. "I would have _preferred_ if the little serving wench hadn't known anything at all."

Miroku set his elbows on his knees and frowned at his friend. "You know, you're strangely obsessed with this girl. I've never heard you talk about the entire body of servants as much as you've talked about Kagome."

Violet eyes peeked out to look at the diplomat. "You're insane. She's vile."

"She's an outcast."

"Yeah, so?"

The man sighed and laced his fingers together. "Well, Inuyasha… I would have to say that you are an outcast as well."

"You think I empathize with her or something?" the hanyou said, lifting his head.

Miroku shrugged and looked down at the stone floor. The look of irritation in Inuyasha's eye told him to quickly drop the subject. "I still have to tell the king about this," he said. "I'm telling you this because I don't want to lie about it."

"Human sentimentality," scoffed the prince.

Sunlight, weak and colorless, peeked in through the small window that faced the east. Wind swept through the circular room, brushing away the black of Inuyasha's hair so that it became silver again. Dog ears appeared and his nails lengthened into sharp claws. Miroku watched carefully, but as usual, he seemed to miss the exact instance of the transformation. One form just seemed to melt into the other. Within moments, the powerful demon prince was in front of him once again.

Inuyasha sat up again and rolled his shoulders. His golden eyes flashed with determination. "Fine, let's get the horses ready and go tell my father what happened. He won't be happy."

Miroku stood with his friend and drew his key from his robes once again, letting the prince walk in front of him. "I'm sure he won't be," sighed the diplomat.

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A/N: The game that Miroku and Inuyasha were playing was Go, a popular strategy game in Asia. Go is a modern name for it though, so I decided not to muddy the waters by guessing which of the other possible names was the 'correct' one. Anyway, I hope you liked it – I cut a lot because I felt it was too early to reveal certain details. I hope I preserved the integrity of the chapter without making it boring! Maybe I failed, maybe I didn't. For all of you waiting for Inuyasha/Kagome interaction – it's coming next chapter! Please review!


	10. Year of the Dog

A/N: Hey all. You may be reading this and saying - "Why didn't she reply to our reviews for the last chapter? RosieB always answers them right before updating!" And you are right to ask. I have had, however, a series of personal misfortunes that have prevented me from doing much work on this story, let alone answering reviews. (I would give details, but it's tiring just to think about it.) I have decided, therefore, to forego replying to your reviews for chapter nine. ONLY chapter nine, of course. Ironically, the crappy luck I've been having lately will free up some of my time soon and so I will be answering chapter ten's reviews and on. Thanks for understanding and please don't let this deter you from reviewing! I've had some bad days lately and you guys cheer me up!

Thousandfurs

Chapter 10: Year of the Dog

Sango sat on the steps, drinking her broth. "It's not even properly warm," she complained, grimacing.

"They didn't even put rice in it," said Kagome, tipping the last of the liquid to the back of her throat. "I can't believe Naraku expects us to work with just this in our stomachs."

"He's getting stingier by the day," said the other girl.

They stood up and placed their dishes in the basket the servants used for their dirty wares. Kagome herself would clean them the next day. "Let's hang back a bit," she suggested as the rest of their shift began to file out. "I don't want to go back quite yet."

Sango leaned against the wall and closed her eyes gratefully. "I hate this time of year."

"The snow isn't pretty anymore," agreed the princess. "It's just depressing. And cold and wet."

"And it's just our luck that this is the year that the Taisho kingdom is hosting the New Year's celebration. We _just_ recovered from the king's birthday feast a month and a half ago!" Sango said with a sigh.

Kagome shrugged. "I don't know. It's going to be the Year of the Dog. That must be exciting for the Taisho kingdom. They only host it once every twelve years after all."

"Yeah, there's a ceremony tonight and everything. The bird clan represents the Year of the Rooster passing on the power to the dog clan." She sighed again and tossed her head as the princess smiled at her. "I suppose it would be interesting, if we could actually see it. But we'll be stuck in the kitchen tonight as usual."

The princess looked across the room to the door to her little room under the stairs. "I'd like to see it sometime soon."

"Keep dreaming," scoffed Sango as she began to walk towards the door. The kitchen staff ate in shifts today, so that the work on the feast would go uninterrupted. If they didn't arrive before the next shift went out, Naraku would gladly take the time to lash both of them until they bled.

Kagome wrapped the fur cloak around her tightly as the door opened to let in a sharp gust of winter air. The afternoon sun bounced off of the snow to produce a blinding glare, reminding the girls that they had many more hours of work yet to do. "So would you mind telling me why you're in such a bad mood?" she asked as they stepped out onto the path.

"Why are you in such a good mood?" snapped back the other girl.

The princess shrugged. "I haven't been harassed by any nobility during this gathering. I haven't been smacked by Naraku in almost a week. I get to see the beautiful youkai walking around the gardens. And I've gotten used to the workload." I may get to see Inuyasha tonight, she added silently, hoping that she would have the opportunity to slip away again. She smiled at Sango's disgusted expression. "Alright, so I told you my reasons. What are yours?"

"We have to cook for the entire youkai population in one night," she groused.

"I don't mean just tonight," said the princess, hurrying to catch up with her friend. "Lately you've been irritable. For weeks really. I've almost gotten accustomed to it, but I was just wondering what caused it."

Sango sighed and slowed her steps. "I suppose. I didn't mean to take it out on you though, Kagome. I'm sorry."

"Apology accepted."

The servant girl looked at the princess, who was walking silently and serenely beside her. "Miroku hasn't talked to me since the king's birthday more than a month ago," she said quickly. "Just that one note and then _nothing_. What a jerk."

Kagome frowned. "But he cared for you. I'm sure he still does. Maybe he's just been busy. This is the biggest celebration that the youkai have all year and it's happening here. It must be a nightmare to coordinate everything."

Sango shook her head. "No, it's not just that. The other day, he was going into the stables as I was fetching water and he ignored me when I greeted him."

"Maybe he didn't hear you."

"I know he did. He made this sudden movement and stopped, but then just kept walking without speaking to me." She opened the kitchen door and laughed mirthlessly. "He's a liar. He said all those beautiful things in that letter and now he's treating me as the servant I am. I told you he would come to this realization. I only wish that he had had the courage to tell me himself."

The princess sat down at her place and began to scrub the pots the staff would need to prepare dinner, beginning with the largest cauldron. It was large enough for two grown men to comfortably sit within it. Kagome was always amazed to see one of the other servants lift it with ease to put over the large central fire. "I never saw him as a coward," she said as Sango moved to help her. "I can't believe he would just leave things as they were. Last time I talked to him--."

"You've spoken with him?" the other girl asked, her eyes wide.

Kagome frowned and thought for a moment. "Well, actually, he hasn't spoken to me in over a month either. On our day off, after the last feast, I saw him in the gardens. He was depressed about something, but he wouldn't tell me what it was. He said that he was pleased about how things were progressing with the two of you though. Something like that."

"You must be remembering incorrectly," said Sango sourly. "That was probably the day he realized his mistake in pursuing a person like me."

"What is that supposed to mean?" asked the princess, climbing into the belly of the pot. "Even if you're a servant now, you were once a great demon slayer. Even in my short time here, I have been able to recognize that you would be honored for your skills, if you hadn't been captured as a prisoner of war. You shouldn't speak about yourself like that."

The demon slayer stared at her. "You're insane. Just because I may have been worthy of a man like Miroku once, doesn't mean that doesn't change."

Kagome shook her head, thinking of how she felt as she had danced with Inuyasha at the king's birthday. She felt whole, as if she had come home. "No. I refuse to accept that. You are Sango, the tajiya. Miroku saw that and I think he still does, no matter what you say."

Sango lowered her head and scrubbed the inner lip of the pot. "You're feeling inspirational today, aren't you?" she murmured.

"I'm feeling like myself," the princess replied as she cleaned the grime from the bottom of the cauldron. "I'm not just a servant either."

"Then what are you?" said the demon slayer. Her curiosity was always piqued when the fur-cloaked girl volunteered a bit of information about herself.

Kagome stood up within the pot and spread her arms. "Really want to know? I am Kagome. I am free, able to do whatever I wish."

Sango sighed. "You never give me a straight answer about your past."

"I'm sorry, but really, my life was quite dull until I decided to come here," the princess replied truthfully.

They scrubbed for half an hour before Naraku was satisfied. One of the males filled the cauldron with water and moved it over the fire without help. Sango disappeared to collect the vegetables to boil for the massive group of nobles waiting to eat their dinner. Kagome rubbed at her already raw hands and then went on to the next pot. The dinner preparations were moving along nicely when Myoga materialized on her shoulder.

"Kagome."

"Hello, Myoga. I haven't seen you around lately. Where have you been?"

The flea frowned, although he could not be seen from his place. "I have been investigating the new arrivals for this New Year's celebration."

The princess laughed lightly. "Why?"

"Because it is likely your father has sent out spies, scouts and assassins to look for you. This gathering would be the ideal situation in which one or all of those men could freely wander in a youkai city."

"But surely one of the king's men would notice anyone that was less than friendly towards youkai. There are humans here, but it is largely a youkai celebration and I'm sure all of the humans present will be closely watched," she replied.

Myoga stamped his foot, making Kagome jump a bit. "You don't understand! There was a spy here last time! I saw him posing as one of Kikyo's entourage. This time, there could be someone sent to kill you!"

Kagome shook her head. "Don't be so paranoid. You couldn't have seen one. If my father knew where I was, he wouldn't have waited a month and a half before sending another man to kill me."

"He wants to do this quietly, don't you see? You are a liability. You know about the darkest part of his heart and you could potentially damage his kingdom and the few remaining relations he has outside of his borders," the flea hissed.

The princess paused in her work and bit her lip. "You could be right," she conceded, renewing her work with vigor. "But Myoga, how would he ever recognize me like this?"

The flea lifted his chin. "You're right. He wouldn't recognize you like this. Any man in your father's employ would be used to seeing you as a princess." He gave her a sidelong glance. "In finery. He would be used to seeing you with other nobles, not servants. So if you stayed as you are, you should have no problem remaining out of his notice."

Kagome slowed her scrubbing. "So there's no problem," she said softly.

"So you wouldn't have anything to do with that human girl that made an appearance at the last feast? Everyone in the castle is wondering if she will return tonight. Apparently, Prince Inuyasha has taken an interest in her," he murmured.

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

He narrowed his eyes as he hopped onto her hands. "Oh, so the castle grapevine has failed you this time? How strange. It's never failed to inform you of all matters before," he said with a serious frown.

"I guess it has this time," she replied.

"Kagome!" he snapped. "I _know_ what you did!"

She straightened her shoulders and glared down at him. "Fine. So it was me."

Myoga fisted his little hands. "You're supposed to be hiding! Not dancing with the prince while everyone is watching!"

A few servants were beginning to stare at the odd pair as their angry scents permeated the room. "Shut _up_!" she spat. "Do you want everyone to know? Then keep yelling at me! Please!"

"I would have thought you would have at least trusted me enough to tell me what you were up to that night," he replied with a cold stare. "Just washing off the soot for the heck of it, were you? You didn't have to lie to me, Kagome. What right do you have? You hang out with Sango all the time, but you're not really like her. You're royalty! I am the only one that knows that, the only one that can protect you and you don't trust me?"

Kagome set her jaw and looked away for a moment, feeling the tear of loyalty between her old life and her new one. "That's just it," she said harshly. "I am a princess in a servant's cloak. You don't know what it's like! You wouldn't understand!"

"Since when did that ever stop you from telling me about your problems in Nakao?" he snapped.

"Well, this wasn't any of your business," she hissed. Her friend turned his head away and her face softened, realizing in a moment that he was only hurt because he had been her confidante since she was two years old. "Look, I know it was dangerous. But I had to do it. I had to feel like myself again."

The flea's anger radiated off of his tiny body. "Selfishness! You put one night of revelry above your life. Above mine! I have never known you to be so irresponsible!"

Kagome's eyes began to fill with tears. "Then you will be displeased to know that I'm going again tonight," she said.

"No," he said, sounding uncertain at the sight of her tears. He stood straight and wagged a finger at her. "No. I forbid it. You are not my master anymore, Kagome. If anything, I am your keeper."

Taking a breath she looked at him steadily through her watery gaze. "What are you going to do, Myoga? Tell Naraku who I am? Tell the king? I can do what I wish in this matter."

"It's a stupid move," said the flea. "It will get us both killed."

She lowered her eyes. "You can hide. Run if you want. But I have to go tonight. It's worth my life to do this."

"And if Inuyasha-sama learns of your identity?" he asked softly.

"Then he knows. I desperately want him to know. I would hope that he would promise to protect me," she replied. "But I can't ask that of him or of anyone else. It's worth my life to go to the festival tonight, but not theirs." She smiled and dropped her head into her filthy hands. "I know I'm not making a lot of sense. I want to be myself again, and I want everyone to know, but I want you and the others to be safe."

The flea shook his head. "Your sense of honor is highly skewed," he muttered. "And this is still a fool of an idea."

"It's not an idea," she said. "It's my quest for sanity."

Myoga sighed heavily. "Sometimes I think that may be a futile quest." He moved to leave and then turned back to look at the red faced princess. "If you must do this, for whatever reasons, keep your wits about you. I don't want the last thing I see in this life to be one of your father's sadistic henchmen crushing me with his foot."

Kagome wished that she could hug him to her without injuring the little demon. "I would never want anything to happen to you," she said. "You really are the only one that knows the true me. I won't forget that. You're my dearest friend."

"And you're mine," he muttered grudgingly before hopping away.

Feeling infinitely better now that she was no longer lying to Myoga, Kagome worked hard for another three hours. Naraku had gone to oversee the preparations of the banquet table because the castle servants had supposedly done a poor job at the king's birthday, so the princess's enjoyment of her work was not exclusive and the kitchen settled into a fast, but merry, pace. As the sunset came and went, however, Kagome began to worry about how she would manage to escape her work once again. Faking illness or weakness again would be suspicious twice in a row, especially when Kagura had been telling her just a few days before how impressed she was with the princess's growing strength. She could ask to be given a task outside of the kitchen that would take a good amount of time, but then they would come looking for her eventually. In the end, Kagome decided that she would be honest for the second time that day.

Kagura was admonishing a servant for his sloppy work station when the princess approached. "Yes, Kagome?" the wind demoness said.

The girl didn't take notice of Kagura's short tone, being more than used to it. "Things seem to be going well, Kagura-san," she commented, following the elder female back to her corner of the kitchen.

The youkai sighed and looked at the work. It was going well. They were ahead of schedule and the castle servants had already been sent for to start taking the food into the banquet hall. "Naraku isn't here breathing down our necks. That helps." She turned to her list and marked off another dish that had been completed.

"Well, I was remembering that I've never seen a New Year's celebration before."

Kagura looked at her and chill went down Kagome's spine. "Neither have most of these guys," she said softly, nodding at the other servants but not moving her eyes from the princess's face.

Sensing danger, Kagome swallowed hard. "Well, I haven't seen any youkai feast before," she said, abandoning her promise to be honest.

"I suppose that's true," said the demoness slowly, narrowing her eyes.

"All my work is done," added the princess. "Every pot is clean and I made sure that they wouldn't need any more. I would come back and scrub every one again before I went to sleep and clear out all the ashes and sweep the floor and wash the tables."

Kagura frowned deeply and looked again at the work being done. Many of the lower level servants were slacking off now. The remaining work was left to the chefs who were the only ones able to manipulate the remaining food properly. "You left early last time too," she said. "If the others realize what you're doing, this won't be a pleasant workplace for you any longer." She mentioned this with an ironic little twist in her lips and they both knew that Naraku nullified any ideas of a workplace being 'pleasant'.

"Then I will say that I went to help the bakers," Kagome suggested. Everyone hated the sweltering kilns so much that she would get no questions about it.

The wind witch sighed and rubbed the back of her neck. "I must be developing a soft spot for humans. I'm so disgusted with myself," she said flatly. "Fine, you can go but be back in time to make the prince's bread soup. Or had you forgotten?"

She had forgotten, but she gave a little curtsey. "I'll do it as soon as I return."

"And if you see Naraku in the hallways, do yourself a favor and run the other way," warned the witch. She turned back to her papers and waved Kagome away. "Go. I can't have you taking up all my time tonight."

"Thank you," she said with another curtsey. The princess turned and began to walk out when the sight of Sango sneaking out made her pause. "Where are you going?" she asked softly.

The other girl froze for a moment and then relaxed so quickly that Kagome thought she had imagined it. "I was going for more water," she said, holding up the empty pail. "And to check on some supplies in the cellar." She added the last part hastily as Kagome cast a quick glance towards the tureens full to the brim with water.

They regarded one another for a moment. Sango was lying, but since she was in the middle of a lie herself, Kagome could hardly be justified in calling the bluff. "Alright," she said simply.

"Where are you going?" asked the demon slayer lightly as they stepped out into the cold night.

"I'm helping in the kilns," said the princess.

Sango didn't flinch. "I'm sorry," she replied automatically. There was no sympathy in her voice and Kagome knew she had caught onto the game of covering for the other if anything should go wrong. This wordless support sealed, they parted when the path split and went their own ways.

The princess's cheeks flushed as she entered the warm servants' quarters – the others had kept the fire alive for once. She could hear the footsteps of a few youkai on the floorboards upstairs. The groundskeepers must have completed their duties for the day, so she would have to take extra care to not be seen. She kept her eyes and ears open as she washed the ashes from her face, neck and arms, but the others remained in their rooms.

Shedding the fur cloak and her yukata in her tiny cupboard, she shivered violently as she searched through her bag. She remembered Inuyasha's flagrantly incorrect guess at her true name – Gin – and brought out the silver kimono. Now he can call me Gin, she mused with a smile. I'll be his silver princess.

She couldn't copy the finely coifed women of the last feast, but she did her best, tying up her hair in a simple twist and pinning it in place with the same pins she used to hold her hair back from her kitchen work. Hoping desperately that she didn't smell of cooked vegetables, she tried to slip out of her room, immediately recoiling when she heard footsteps on the stairs above her. Voices murmured lazily and she damned them for loitering. Whoever it was had decided to raid the closet with the bits of bread and water and lounge by the fire.

After listening to them whine about Naraku's interference in their grounds work for five minutes, Kagome drew the fur cloak back over her shoulders and prayed that her silver kimono wasn't shining through before opening her door. She tucked her hands into her sleeves and lowered her face to look at the floor.

"Kami! You scared the shit out of us, Thousandfurs," growled one of the males. "Why are you in here? Shouldn't you be working?"

"Horrible headache," she said simply. "Kagura said I wasn't any use to her like this, but I feel better now." She moved towards the door, trying not to be too hasty.

"Be careful out there," said one of the females, a voice Kagome recognized as one of the few youkai servants that bid her good day on occasion. She was a 'mothering' type. "They say a strange man is wandering around the grounds. The guards are looking for him."

Remembering Myoga's warnings, Kagome nodded. "Thank you," she replied as she slipped out the door. She paused for a moment and listened, confidence welling within her as the youkai resumed their conversation. She stowed her cloak away in one of the broken barrels lined along the outside wall of the servants' quarters. They had been waiting for the cooper to repair them since before she had arrived and she hoped her furs would not smell of wet, rotten wood when she retrieved them at the end of her night.

Once inside, she was able to brush aside the servants' stares with a haughty lift of her chin, wordlessly declaring that she had _nothing_ to explain by her presence in the back of the castle. She saw a few of the servants who had been entailed to bring in the feast and she knew that she was arriving later in the evening than she had last time. She wondered, with a thunderous thump in her chest, if Inuyasha was looking for her.

She moved through the corridors with the familiar ease of a servant and with the determined gaze of a noble. When she came close to the doors of the throne room however, she faltered. There, in the grasp of several guards, was a silently sobbing Sango.

"Sango," one of the guards was saying gently. "We can't let you near the feast. You know that. Servants aren't allowed, especially ones as low as you." He wore a pained expression as he said the words to the distraught girl.

"Please," she said simply.

The one word tore through Kagome's heart. She had a clear idea of what Sango was doing here, so close to humiliation and danger, especially if Naraku found out. She never would have guessed that her friend's soul was so damaged that she would have taken this risk.

The other guards were exchanging worried glances. All the guests were inside already, save Kagome herself, who had not been noticed yet, but they could not let this slide easily. "We won't tell Naraku about this," the one that spoke earlier finally said. "You have to leave though. Right now."

Kagome stepped forward. "Why not let her take a look in at the feast?" said the princess clearly, drawing the group's immediate attention. She was taking a risk here, she knew, but if Inuyasha hadn't guessed her identity, why should Sango?

"Your Highness," murmured the guards, all bowing.

She smirked. So the gossip of Inuyasha's new interest being a princess had been accepted as a truth, even without substantiation. She should have known. Well, she might as well milk her newfound position, she thought dryly. "Let the girl take a peek. It's darker in the corridor than in the ballroom. No one will see her provided that she doesn't linger." She caught Sango's look, which was a mix of confusion and admiration. She swallowed and decided to dispel any possibility that the girl link the Princess Kagome with the servant Thousandfurs. "If she gets caught, of course, she will pay as she should, but you may as well let a girl like her enjoy a few moments of happiness."

Sango's face fell a bit, hurting Kagome to the core, but securing her disguise. The servant bowed. "Thank you, Your Highness," she said softly.

Kagome gave her a cold look and moved slowly towards the doors as Sango rushed forward. The guards fell back to their positions and the princess entered the room with the demon slayer peeking around the corner with her glittering brown eyes.

Unlike last time, when she had slipped in with a minimal amount attention, this entrance caused almost the entire room to stop and stare at the latecomer. She half expected the musicians to pause in middle of their gentle tunes and she blushed prettily as a few of them turned their heads to look at her as well.

She tried to ignore the staring and looked at the fantastic costumes of the youkai. They were even more sumptuous this time and several of the demons who did not belong to the bird or dog clans had dressed to complement the honorees. Several of the females sported fabulously elaborate feathered crowns and even more wore the beautiful deep blue color of the Taisho dog clan. But she stared more at the actual bird youkai, who unlike their canine cousins, could not hide their heritage as completely. They were winged and pale, moving through the crowd and bowing to the youkai who congratulated them on an excellent year. They seemed to be awkward on their feet, like ducklings, but Kagome could imagine them floating in the air without any stretch of her imagination. She had the wicked urge to clap her hands, to see if they would take flight.

As the youkai got back to their own conversations and dances, Kagome espied Inuyasha. He was hovering by the door to the banquet room, looking rather pale and weary. Clothed in his customary apple red, he was vivid against the predominantly blue background. He spotted her in another instant and gave her a little smirk, crossing the room to greet her.

"You came back." He sounded confident that he had known of this result, but his eyes spoke of a genuine pleasure that she had turned up.

She smiled at him and bowed. "You sound surprised about that, but I did promise you that I would. Did you forget?"

He shrugged. "People have a way of disappointing me."

Kagome wanted to declare that she never would, that she would rather suffer a thousand tortures than disappoint him, but she couldn't. At the back of her mind, she could only think that disappointment would be the least of his reaction to her true identity. She just gave him a sympathetic gaze. "Have you been waiting for me then?" she asked.

Inuyasha shifted uncomfortably. Despite the fact that he had had more than a month to get accustomed the idea that perhaps this girl was actually interested in him romantically and that he actually might be interested in return, Kikyo's betrayal still lingered at the edges of his mind. Not to mention the fact that he was a prince and heir to a powerful throne. One had to be careful about the sort of company kept in these situations. And obviously, his track record wasn't that impressive. Nor a very lengthy list, when it came to that. "Feh," he said with another shrug. "I just was going to say 'hi'."

"You're a bad liar," she said, smiling broadly.

The apples of his cheeks burned red for a brief moment as he scowled. "Are you going to tell me your name?" he demanded.

Kagome pretended to think for a moment. "So I can't tease you unless I do?" Her face grew very serious as she let her arms hang stiffly at her sides. "Then I won't do it. I'll be proper and good, like anyone should be around a prince of your stature, Your Highness." She gave him a deep curtsey. "My prince, may I express how much I have enjoyed your feast so far? I must wish you all the luck in the world for the New Year, Inuyasha-sama."

He grabbed her elbow and dragged her back into a standing position. "Stop that," he snapped. "You can humiliate me in front of the entire court, just _don't do that_."

She pulled her arm through his grip until her hand settled into his. "I'll be myself, Your Highness. I will be your amusement for this evening, but I still cannot tell you my name."

"Of course you can't," growled Inuyasha.

"You seem to be less enchanted with me tonight and more, well, like yourself," she said with a smile. "Based on what I hear from others, I mean."

"Who said I was 'enchanted' with you last time?" he said, his eyes widening a bit.

Kagome smiled and gently pulled him towards the other dancers. "A woman's intuition. I found it flattering. Why are you so embarrassed?" She arranged the dumbstruck prince's hands and he automatically began to move in time with the music. "If it helps, I was equally impressed by you." She blushed at her forwardness but kept a steady gaze on the prince's face.

They danced in silence for a few moments, holding each other closer than most of the others on the floor. Inuyasha swallowed hard and looked up at her, but before he could speak, a dashing figure in white brushed past his arm. "Ah, little brother," said the imposing taiyoukai. "Is this the small human who captured your attention?"

Inuyasha growled at his elder sibling. "She's just a girl I know."

"But not a girl whose name you know," Sesshoumaru observed. He halted in his steps and let his arms drop from his mate's waist. "I shall cut in," he declared, moving towards the prince and princess.

"The hell you are," snapped Inuyasha. "Did Father tell you to do this? Report back to him about her and what she's like? Well, go back under the rock you came from."

His brother scowled and brushed his hair back over his shoulder. "Really, Inuyasha, I would think so many years of sibling rivalry would have produced a few insults that actually insulted me. I simply wished to acquaint myself with this new conquest of yours."

"She's not a conquest," the prince muttered, averting his eyes. His ears twitched as he turned to Kagome. "Would you mind dancing with this asshole?"

She smiled softly. "No, not really, if you promise me another dance."

Inuyasha made a sound that sounded vaguely like an agreement and then went to Yuki, who had been patiently waiting in her midnight blue kimono. He kept his eyes on his brother, however, as he took his sister-in-law in his arms and began to move across the floor. Sesshoumaru effortlessly ignored his younger sibling's antics and bowed formally to the princess. "A dance, Your Highness?" he murmured.

Kagome curtsied and they moved together. It was difficult for a moment, considering the massive height difference – she barely came to his chest – but they adjusted and began to dance to the ethereal tune the orchestra was playing. "So, how has another human captured my moronic little brother's heart?" he asked, his deep voice making her body vibrate. "Or have I answered my own question?"

"I am not Kikyo, Your Majesty," she said, as gently as possible. She was speaking to a powerful king after all, and one much less likely to take pity on her than his father.

"I can smell that," he replied. He looked down at her along his aristocratic nose. "All humans are the same."

Kagome frowned, deeply reminded of her father and his prejudices. She hoped that Sesshoumaru was not his counterpart. "No, we aren't. I'm surprised that a king would hold such a biased, close-minded idea. That is not the way to rule properly."

"Are you questioning my methods?" he asked, dangerously soft.

"Only if you draw them from the false idea that all humans are like Kikyo, or like the Nakao king, for instance," she said sharply. His golden eyes bored into hers, but she couldn't blink. "Not all of us are power hungry and immoral."

He looked up, over the top of her head. "This is coming from a female who seeks my brother's bed."

She took a hard intake of breath. How dare he? Well, at least she knew that violently rude behavior made the two males true brothers. "I do not seek his bed," she said, clenching her jaw. "I do not seek anything. If your brother _offers_ his _heart_ to me, then I will gladly give him mine in return. And if that happens, you must learn to live with me, Your Majesty. I promise you that if you open your eyes at all, you will see that you are wrong about humans. And while we're on the subjects of racial stereotypes, I have discovered that not all youkai are bloodthirsty and savage. I have accepted that, despite my years of education saying different. So why do you – a king that is famed for his intelligence – refuse the same enlightenment, that humans are not all consumed by greed and deception?"

Sesshoumaru stared at her for a moment and then guided her back to Inuyasha and Yuki. Kagome looked at the prince, afraid that she had mortally offended his brother, but the taiyoukai released her with no real haste. "I have examined your choice in mate," he said, making his younger sibling flush to match his clothes. "She is difficult and stubborn, but she is unerringly _tender-hearted_. I view it as a personality flaw, but you do have a human mother after all." He took his own mate's hand and pulled her towards him. Yuki could only mouth an apology to her brother-in-law.

Inuyasha, still red in the face, looked at Kagome. "Did he insult you?" he asked sulkily.

She shook her head. "He insulted all humans, but not really me." She sighed at looked at the taiyoukai who was now dancing with his mate. Yuki was talking – probably lecturing him – but she was smiling softly and he held her close. "I don't think I changed his mind about humans or anything, but I hope I impressed him with just myself."

The prince stepped up to her and they began to dance once again. "He's just a jerk. He's been making my life hell since I was a kid," he said, his ears drooping against his skull.

"He's your brother. I think that's pretty much his job," she replied, thinking of her childhood fights with Sota. "I think he cares about you though."

Inuyasha scoffed. "Feh! The only reason he cares about whether I live or die is because that would change the political structure around here."

Kagome watched the dog demon and his mate move fluidly through the crowd. "He hates what you are, because he hates humans," she said softly. "But he doesn't hate _you_."

The prince fell silent for awhile, but when the music came to a stop and his grip on her waist and hand tightened. "It's time for the ceremony. It's going to be short, so I want to see you again afterwards. Stay right here, alright?" He spoke in the demanding tone that she heard so often as Thousandfurs.

"I'll be right here," she said, giving his hand a squeeze as he stepped away and towards the dais at the end of the room.

The entire body of guests became still as the impressive youkai king rose from his throne with his mate at his right hand. Inuyasha stood with Miroku to the monarch's left, his golden eyes fixed upon Kagome, as if she might disappear in a cloud of glitter. Kagome blushed again, flattered by the attention, but uneasy that his staring got her the attention of several other youkai as well. She was saved after a moment. "Welcome to the Taisho kingdom," said the king, his voice booming out across the room. "It's been twelve years since we gathered here last, and I am glad to see you all in my home once again."

The audience politely clapped, allowing a male to move towards Kagome unheard. When he spoke into her ear, she jumped. "So, still dancing with that mutt-face?"

Kagome turned sharply and frowned at the wolf prince. "Forgive me, Your Highness, but I fail to see what business of that is yours."

"Well, considering you're my woman, it is my business," Koga said, puffing out his chest. "You'll be my mate."

The princess paled and looked back up at the dais. Inuyasha was still watching her and, even at this distance, she could see that his face had tensed and grown angry. "I'm afraid you must be mistaken," she told the wolf, keeping her eyes on _her_ chosen mate. "I have already chosen another male."

"Mutt-face?" he snapped. "What could he possibly offer you that I don't have? All he has is his past humiliation and dirty blood."

"Dirty blood?" she repeated. "Dirty blood like that of any child we would produce together, Prince Koga? You forget what I am."

He set his jaw. "Our pup wouldn't be a weakling."

She gave him a sharp look. "Neither is Inuyasha," she said, walking away from the wolf prince. Strong emotions produced stronger scents and she would not have Koga being the first that recognized her as the little servant girl. She lifted her head and looked at Inuyasha again. He had visibly relaxed, although he still appeared irritated. She gave him a warm smile that seemed to ease his ire.

The king was standing alongside one of the bird youkai, a male with a dignified stature, although he appeared insignificant beside the powerful dog demon. They were speaking about the importance of clan relations and the crowd was getting a bit restless. Even Kagome, who had once been accustomed to her fair share of speeches, was quickly losing focus. Inuyasha was shifting from foot to foot and Miroku was smiling at the young women closest to the front.

As the two monarchs shook hands and embraced as Kagome turned her head to see Sango's pale, smudged face in the doorway. The girl was staring ardently at Miroku, tears wetting her cheeks. As the princess watched, Sango disappeared from sight. Without running to see if she was all right, Kagome could only hope her friend hadn't simply collapsed behind the doors.

The music began again and the princess realized that she had essentially missed the ceremony that had captured her imagination just earlier in the day. She found that she didn't mind terribly though, as Inuyasha stepped off the dais and came straight towards her. He wasn't smiling, but she stretched her arms out to him and drew him close. "That was very nice," she said.

"You weren't listening," he said, narrowing his eyes at a point over her shoulder.

Kagome turned to see the wolf prince standing twenty feet away with a scowl. "He was telling me that he was going to become my mate," she replied. Her eyes widened as she heard a tremendous growl rise in his throat. "Are you being protective? Because it isn't necessary. I would never become his mate."

"I'm more powerful," Inuyasha said, looking away from her and crossing his arms.

"Yes, you are," she said. She laughed as his eyes widened. "Did you expect me to lie to you? To say that I didn't realize that?"

The prince hesitated for a moment and then offered her his arm roughly. "I guess if you aren't with Koga, then you can come with me?" he asked quietly. "I have to get out of here."

"This could be scandalous," she warned him as she took his elbow. "I have heard that people have already been talking about us, and we only danced last time."

"Fuck them," he said as they entered the corridor.

Kagome shook her head. Never had she heard such vulgarity from a noble, much less a prince. But then, Inuyasha never did conform to any standards she recognized.

She turned to study the male beside her, the prince who had degraded her as a servant and had exalted her as a princess. She knew his character well enough to realize that Inuyasha had a low opinion of himself. All of his posturing, all of his bluster was created to hide that fact. To her, this attempted disguise only made that fact that much more apparent.

"Why are you staring at me?" he asked her.

"I was wondering what part of you is real. I said earlier that tonight you seem more like yourself, but I don't really know. You are coarse and rude to others, I hear, but you're kind to me. People say that you don't like anyone, but you seem to like me." She smiled at him. "At least, I think you do."

He scowled at her. "What do you know? We've only met twice." He slid open a door Kagome had never gone through to display an inner courtyard that opened into the sky. It was a multi-layered rock garden, decorated sparsely with tiny, hardy shrubs and worn, ancient statuary.

"And here we are," she said, "alone in a courtyard, lit by just a few little oil lamps." She smiled at him again and escaped his hold, walking into the garden and sitting down on the wooden bench in the middle. Inuyasha stood at the top of the one stair, staring at her.

"You're certainly honest."

She shrugged. "I thought that was one of the things you liked about me."

He crossed his arms and stepped into the courtyard, the moonlight making his silver hair glow to match her kimono. "There you go again, assuming that I like you. You're just less boring than the rest of them."

"I told you already that you're a bad liar," she said softly.

"I'm not actually," he replied. "You're catching me on a bad night."

She smiled at him and stood up again. "Or maybe, you're not doing so well because you really do like me."

He stepped back, his eyes widening. "N-no. No, I don't think so."

"I thought you were supposed to be brave," she said.

Inuyasha growled and straightened his back as he paused in his backpedaling. "I am. Are you always this aggressive?"

She shook her head and looked up at the sky, where the moon was disappearing behind the roof. She had been here for too long. Even Kagura would begin to get angry at her extended absence, but Kagome couldn't bear to leave. Not yet. "No, I am normally the demure girl that you think I should be. But we have a limited amount of time together, Inuyasha. I think that our embarrassment should be secondary. I don't even know when your next festival will take place and I don't want to go home without some sense of whether I should return." She lowered her head and looked at him under hooded eyes. "Surely you aren't afraid of a human girl in a constricting kimono?"

"No, never." He said it automatically, his eyes wide from her words.

"Now you're telling the truth," she murmured. "You know, if you like me, it's not the end of the world. It doesn't mean that you're bound to me for life. It doesn't mean I expect anything even as much as a smile after I leave tonight. It does mean that you have a friend though, if you want one." She grinned and shrugged. "I mean, I know you have Lord Miroku…"

"Yeah, but that lecher doesn't look nearly as good in a kimono," the prince said.

She laughed and the tense mood was broken as she stepped forward to touch his shoulder. "Was that a joke? That wasn't downright malicious and rather complimentary to me? Hmm." She lowered her eyes and became serious. "See what I meant? How do I know which Inuyasha is the real one?"

He stared at her for a moment and fell as her sparkling eyes met his. Suddenly, the small girl in front of him was enough to warm him for his eternal life. The sensible part of his mind fought his heart though and he could still not fend off the image of Kikyo that arose in his mind. He put his hands on her hips, hoping that he wasn't holding her too hard.

"Please tell me if I should come back," she said. Please tell me that you want me to come back, she pled silently.

He couldn't answer her question – he knew that immediately. He didn't know the answer. But as she looked at him with her liquid brown eyes, he had to say something. "Kami, I hate you." He saw her flinch and he swore under his breath. Perhaps he didn't pick the best thing to say. He tried again. "Do you know how hard I've worked on my reputation, so that people would leave me the hell alone? Then you come in and just make me want to hug kittens. Damn it, woman! Where the hell did you come from?"

Breathing easier, Kagome slid her hands up his arms. "I didn't come too far, so don't worry about thanking me."

Their foreheads touched and their breath mingled. "What is your name? You have to tell me."

"No, I don't," she replied, smiling.

"Bitch," he whispered as their lips touched.

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A/N: Ah! They kissed! Those of you who have read my other stories should be very suspicious right about now though. Haha. Truthfully, this chapter was going to stop much earlier than that, but I didn't have the heart to be so slow in my updates lately and not give you what you've all been begging for. Don't think that their problems are over though! Inuyasha and Kagome have a lot more drama heading their way, so stick around. Please? Alright, well at least review! And again, I'm sorry to those that expected a review reply for the last chapter. Read the author's note at the top if you're confused. Thanks!


	11. And What Followed

Thousandfurs

Chapter 11: And What Followed

She was shaking. She was blushing. Her only comfort was that she could feel Inuyasha shivering beneath her fingers and the heat from his skin. It felt as if her heart was splitting open and she was amazed that it had ever occupied such a tiny place as her chest. It was intertwined with Inuyasha's heart and they filled the courtyard, the castle, and the kingdom. The only other thing she could feel was her stomach twisting into deliciously coiled knots.

Kagome pulled away and took a sharp breath as a little smile turned up the corners of her mouth. She was still shaking and blushing. Inuyasha's eyes were glazed over and he was breathing heavily. "So, I'm guessing you do want me to come back?" she asked him softly.

He smirked and pulled her closer to his body. Kami, he thought. She may look like his past love, and she may even be human, but he would have cut off Sesshoumaru's left arm for another one of those kisses. "Or you could stay."

She lowered her eyes. "Perhaps," she lied.

Inuyasha frowned. "You're not the only one who can spot a bad liar. Why can't you stay?" he asked. He pulled away from her a little. "_Are_ you a princess?"

Kagome closed the gap between them once again, holding onto the front of his haori with her hands. "Please, you have to understand. I can't…"

"Hey, mutt-face! Get your hands off of my woman!"

Inuyasha spun around and glared at the wolf prince, who was framed in the doorway. "What the hell are you doing here, Koga?" he snapped. "Get out of here before I rip your tail off."

Koga strutted forward into the garden, revealing his co-conspirator. It was no surprise for Kagome to see the smug face of Kikyo hovering in the corridor. "I'll leave when you hand back my woman," challenged the wolf. "Come on, princess."

"No, Koga," she replied flatly. She put a hand on Inuyasha's shoulder, which was quivering with his suppressed anger. "Please, Inuyasha-sama, let's go somewhere else."

"Hell no. He's been following you around all night," he said. "Let's get it through his thick skull that you're not interested."

Kikyo stepped delicately around the wolf prince. "Perhaps she is interested," she said, never looking at the other princess. "After all, she's hardly worthy of someone of your stature, Inuyasha."

Kagome's hands curled into fists. If it hadn't given her away immediately as someone who no longer moved through high society, she would have smashed Kikyo's nose in. "What makes you say that I am not worthy of Inuyasha-sama?" she asked harshly, placing stress upon the honorific that Kikyo so carelessly dropped.

"You have no family crest," observed Kikyo. "You have no one to verify that you are who you say you are. You have no attendants, no friends and no family. I see nothing that makes you worthy of even Koga. I am willing however, to overlook that considering the wolf prince's deep admiration of you. But I am not willing to let you lure Inuyasha into some sort of sadistic trap. He is a dear friend of mine, after all."

Even Inuyasha's jaw went slack at the princess's rude words. Kagome looked at Koga, who appeared confused at whether he should be insulted or pleased with Kikyo's little speech. "I don't see how it's any of your business," said Kagome stiffly.

"Leave us alone, Kikyo," said Inuyasha, squaring his shoulders.

The princess's face softened as she clasped her hands. "I only point these things out because I care for you, Inuyasha. I don't want you to be taken in by an imposter."

Kagome almost moved to actually strike Kikyo, but Inuyasha gripped her wrist. "The only fake I see here, Kikyo, is you. The day you care about anything or anyone but yourself is the day I fall on my own sword."

Kikyo pointed a finger at the hanyou, her eyes darkening. "I will find out who this tramp is! And when I do, I'll humiliate all of you. Your subjects will never follow you after I'm done with you, Inuyasha!"

"They practically don't already because of you," he snapped back. "I don't care if you prove she's the scullery maid, she's a thousand times better than you. What did you think this little stunt would prove? What do you hope to accomplish by coming back here all the time? I'll never take you back!" His tone was heated, a remnant from the kiss or perhaps repressed anger spilling over after its long imprisonment. Kagome wasn't sure which.

"I don't want a hanyou," she sneered.

"Then _what do you want_?" he yelled, his ears flattened against his head.

Kikyo relaxed with a smile and tossed her hair. "I told you what I wanted when we were engaged, Inuyasha. I want you to be human. I want you to be mine, but human." Her dark eyes glittered as Koga and Inuyasha both stared at her, trapped by her outrageous statement. "What? I never made it a secret that I thought you were a freak of nature. If you ever wanted to really marry me, you would have become human for my sake."

"What the hell?" murmured Koga, still staring. "No one can change mutt-face to a human."

"Actually, my dear prince Koga, there is a way," said Kikyo sweetly. "The Shikon no Tama grants a wish to its bearer. And I believe that Inuyasha should have used it to correct the mistake of his unnatural birth."

Kagome looked at Inuyasha, who finally released her wrist and closed his eyes. "I tried to find it. I told you, the other half is missing."

Kikyo's smile turned malicious at the other princess's shocked expression. "If you loved me truly, you would have found it. You would have done that for me."

"I gave you everything you asked for! And you just left!" he snapped. He turned his head and looked at Kagome, smelling the tears forming in the corners of her eyes. His shoulders relaxed and he took a step towards her. "I didn't do it," he said softly.

"But you would have," Kagome replied. "If you had found the other half of the Shikon, you would have become human for her." She reached out and touched the velvety white ears on top of his head. His eyes drifted closed for a moment as she stroked them.

Kikyo scoffed loudly, drawing the two out of their brief moment of peace. "Yes, he would have become human for me, but do you really think he hadn't thought of it a million times before he even met me? He told me that was his greatest wish, to not be a hanyou anymore. To be normal."

Inuyasha's golden eyes met Kagome's gaze. "She's telling the truth," he said flatly.

The princess looked down on the ground. "I guess that answers my question," she said after a moment. She brushed back her hair from her face and fixed him with her stare. "There are two sides of you. And you don't want one of them."

He shrugged. "Why does it matter?"

"Because I don't know which side of you actually cares for me," she replied softly. "And because I can't love half of a person like she can." She shot a deadly glare at the self-satisfied Kikyo. "What if you found that other half of the Shikon no Tama? Would you go to her then?"

"I don't know," he admitted, his ears flattening again.

Kagome stroked his ears once more and let her fingers weave through his long, silver hair. "I would have loved you as you are," she said, untangling her digits.

Before anyone could reply, she turned and fled from the garden, shutting the door behind her before running down the halls. She knew that Koga or Inuyasha could catch up with her in a moment's time, but she felt with a certainty that the two males were still standing in the garden, with a triumphantly evil princess.

How she hated that woman! Kagome wiped away her tears with the sleeve of her delicate kimono. She had thrown away Inuyasha's affections and now only sought to destroy any happiness he might attain again. Who could be so cruel? Even Naraku didn't have the capacity for such soulless devastation.

And Inuyasha! How could he take that abuse? How could he stand there with his greatest enemy watching the woman who had humiliated him once humiliate him yet again? Certainly, Koga had simply been a pawn for Kikyo to get her way, but it was adding insult to injury that Inuyasha had allowed the wolf prince to remain during that painful scene. Kagome had never known such a stubborn creature to bend so willingly to the manipulations of another. Kikyo had truly damaged him. He must be used to it, she realized. It was second nature for him to weather Kikyo's comments. In a way, he still loved her.

She sniffled. Of _course_ he still loved Kikyo. He had practically said so, when he admitted that given the choice, he didn't know who he would pick. His reaction put everything under a shadow of doubt. Had he really been attracted to her? Or had he simply been looking for a replacement? A girl to toss aside as he had been tossed aside by Kikyo. She knew from handmaids' stories about the men in the Nakao court that this was not uncommon, this need to inflict the same sort of harm that had been suffered on another innocent. It was a cycle, and a harsh one at that.

She exited the castle and made her way across the frozen gardens, towards the barrels that held her fur cloak. She would get her bag, find the Shikon shard and throw it at the bottom of the compost heap, she decided. Or a lake. Or off the top of a cliff. Inuyasha could never get hold of it. She feared what he would do more than she feared for her own life at the moment. Even if it had been his plan, subconscious or not, to hurt her, she could not allow him to turn human. It would erase him. The prince would be gone and only a dog of a man would remain.

Throwing off the cover of one of the barrels, she dove in and pulled out her furs, which had survived the evening. Just as she pulled the heavy cloak over her shoulders, there was a crunch of snow behind her. Kagome's heart stopped for a moment, but she managed to pull up her hood before turning around. "Inuyasha-sama?" she whispered.

"So this is how you've been hiding from me."

Kagome's head snapped up. The voice was not Inuyasha's, nor even Koga's, and the robed figure that moved in the moonlight was distinctly human. "Who is it?" she asked.

The man moved out of the shadows, revealing a face with heavy scarring and greasy hair. "Your father has been searching everywhere for you," he growled. "You've given me a lot of headaches, little girl."

Her nostrils flared in annoyance. "I am a princess. Don't you dare forget it."

"Little _slut_," the man snarled. "You were stripped of your title long ago, even before you left. Don't try to pull any crap with me about your noble blood, because I have no patience for it. As far as I can see, you're no more than a thorn in His Majesty's side. And you will be dealt with accordingly." He drew a long, thin blade from beneath his robes. He was dusted in snow and Kagome realized that he had been waiting for her a long time.

Her eyes flashed across the grounds, but no shadow moved with approaching guards. She was helpless and her heart slowed in acceptance of this vital truth. This was one of her father's assassins and she had no defense against him. Screaming would only spurn him to slit her throat faster. She wondered if the king would investigate the death of a lowly servant, if he would go so far as to discover her true identity. Then Inuyasha would know. But she wanted to tell him herself, with her own voice, not with a pool of blood beside her cold body. Her eyes burned as they looked back at her killer. "I don't want to die," she said.

The assassin cocked his head. "How surprising," he spat. "Unfortunately for you, I have more allegiance to my king than some whore daughter of his."

Kagome backed up against the wall of the servants' quarters as he began to advance. "But there! You said it!" she cried, her heart coming to life again. "He's my father! You know what he did and you defend him! You're killing me for him, a sick pervert!"

He lifted his chin. "Be quiet," he said with a roll of his eyes. "I don't like to listen to this sort of thing. It only angers me." He raised the dagger and Kagome turned her head away.

"Then I wonder how this'll make you feel!" called a new voice. "Fox fire!"

The assassin went rigid as blue flames erupted over his back. A moment later, he was on the ground, yelping in pain as Shippo threw the incendiary bombs at his prone body. Guards began to shout in the distance, their attention drawn by the unusual light source. Shippo finally tired himself out and fell back onto his haunches in the snow. Kagome's would-be killer lay before her, smoke rising from his body and twitching in pain, although his voice had escaped him. "Is he dead?" she asked softly.

The fox kit breathed heavily. "He probably will be soon," he said. He saw her shocked stare and shrugged helplessly. "You were in trouble. I saw the knife."

"Yes," said Kagome, nodding several times. "Thank you."

He turned his head and looked at the figures of the guards growing closer. "You should close your furs," he suggested. "That will cause a lot of questions." He gave a pointed stare to the silver peeking from her collar and the line of glittering fabric through the inch wide opening down her front.

Kagome grasped the garment close to her body as the fox kit fell backwards into the snow, sending a wave of white dust up around him. "Shippo!" She moved forward, gingerly stepping over the steaming body of the assassin and scooped the little demon up into her arms.

The guards converged suddenly and swiftly, bending over the assassin and surrounding Kagome and the kit. "What happened? Who is this? What's wrong with the fox?" The questions were fired at her with such force that she stepped back.

"He attacked me," she finally said, nodding towards the body that two of the guards were now carrying away. "Shippo saved me."

One of the sentinels rubbed at the back of his neck when he saw who it was that she held in her arms. "Aw, shit. The king won't like this," he said. "Give the boy to me. I should take him to the infirmary. He might need help."

She clutched Shippo to her chest. She didn't know if it was because he had saved her life, or because he had seen what she was wearing beneath her cloak, but she had to be near the little fox. "Please. He tired himself out, that's all. I'll take him to his room," she said, gesturing to the building behind them. "I'll take care of him."

They looked at one another and wordlessly made their decision. "Alright," another one said. "If he doesn't wake up within an hour, take him to the hospital wing of the barracks. We have enough to deal with here, with an armed intruder and all, so the boy is your responsibility." They turned and left, trailing behind the two demons carrying the human body.

Kagome ran into the servants' quarters. She didn't know which room Shippo occupied, so she took him into her own and laid him on her futon. He was breathing easily now, deeply asleep, and so she shed her cloak, changed out of her glittery garment into her winter yukata, and lit the tiny oil lamp that she saved for the darkest of nights. After a moment's thought, she slipped the sword hilt into her sleeve, leaving the last Artifact, the Shikon half-orb, to be dealt with later.

Kneeling down beside the fox kit, she felt his forehead. No fever, she observed with satisfaction. Even as she thought of waking him, he stirred and opened his green eyes. They sharpened into focus when he saw the sparkle of her kimono that lay folded on top of her yellow bag. "You're the princess," he murmured. "The one everyone has been talking about."

She nodded solemnly. "Yes, I am."

He grinned and let his head fall back onto the summer yukata she used for a pillow. "Awesome," he said. He looked at her again, the smile evaporating. "Are you really a princess? Is your name really Kagome?"

She settled back onto her heels and folded her hands across her lap. "I'm really a princess. And my name is Kagome. I'm from the Nakao kingdom and I ran away."

"From your dad," said the fox flatly. "Your dad is that monster that wanted to marry his daughter."

"Yes," she replied softly. "He sent that man after me. I guess he wants to kill me now."

Shippo sat up slowly and stared at her with large eyes. "Who knows about you being here?"

"Myoga does," she replied. "He was the diplomat from the youkai territories for my father's court and he helped get me out of the kingdom safely. But aside from him and you, I hope that no one knows."

The little fox demon nodded. "I won't tell anyone, Kagome."

She smiled at him. "I know you won't. I trust you, Shippo. I just feel bad that you've been involved in this situation at all. But I'm going to stay here as long as I can, if that's alright."

"What about Inuyasha? He would protect you, if he knew who you were, wouldn't he?"

The princess shrugged. "I'm not sure. I can't tell him though. I can't risk a war between the kingdoms just because I ran away from home." She lowered her eyes. "And I think he wouldn't be too happy about finding out who I was. Who I am."

They sat in silence for a few moments. "I'm sorry, Kagome," he said finally. "I won't tell Inuyasha or the king." For Shippo, 'anyone' meant something quite different that keeping it from the royal family.

She nodded, realizing what a promise like that meant to the little fox. Loyalty to the king was paramount for Shippo, who had lost everything else. "Thank you," she said. She stood up as straight as possible in the cramped quarters. "I have to go. I've been away too long and Kagura will get angry if I'm not back to prepare the prince's soup in time. Stay here and rest, alright?"

Shippo closed his eyes and curled up into a ball. Kagome watched him for a moment and then tucked him under the silver kimono she had just been wearing. It was still warm and the fox began to snore softly as soon as it was around his shoulders. The princess pulled on her cloak, covered her skin in ash from the fire and hurried out the door.

As soon as she arrived in the kitchen, however, she wished to be back in her little cupboard under the stairs with Shippo. Naraku stood by the fire, his spine tall with the joy of punishing Sango, who was lying on the floor in front of him. The terrible cook held his favorite weapon, a riding crop whose leather had become stiff with dried blood over the years. He brought it down on Sango's back again and again, forcing her to punctuate her sobbing with little gasps of anguish. Thin lines of red liquid blossomed from underneath her yukata. "Enter the castle again without my permission," he was saying, "and your life is mine." He spared a gleaming red eye for his audience, the silently flinching kitchen staff who were watching out of the corners of their eyes as they worked. Kagura was the only one not watching - her back turned completely to the scene as she marked in her ledgers.

Suddenly, he spotted Kagome and the riding crop froze two inches from Sango's raw back. "The filthy little creature is back then," he sneered. "And where have you been?"

"With the bakers, helping in the kiln," she replied immediately, knowing that hesitation could spell death.

"Lying cheat," he replied with a cold twist of his lips. "I was there an hour ago and you weren't."

Kagome nodded, surprising her audience. "I know. I was coming back but that man that has been lurking around attacked me. Shippo and the guards saved me, but Shippo was injured and the guards allowed me to take care of him." She saw that Naraku had faltered. He hadn't expected the truth in any shape or form. "You may ask them, Naraku-san."

He stepped around Sango without a glance and advanced upon the fur-covered princess. He appeared to have words in him, begging to be said, but instead he drew back the crop and hit her hard across the face. Kagome cried out, along with several of the kitchen staff. She staggered on her feet as the world seesawed beneath her, but she remained upright. Naraku turned and went over to Kagura as Kagome pressed her hand to her cheek. It was tender, so tender that she could barely touch it without hissing in pain, but the skin had miraculously not been broken. She would have a hell of a bruise though.

Trying to ignore her throbbing cheek, Kagome went to Sango, who was still curled up on the floor. The spread of blood had stopped, but she knew that the girl wouldn't be able to lie on her back for weeks. "Come on," she said softly, taking the girl's arm.

Sango sobbed again and remained dead weight. The princess leaned over her and brushed her hair back, revealing the demon slayer's reddened eyes. It occurred to Kagome that Sango hadn't been crying about the physical pain. She was too strong for that. But to cry about the loss of Miroku was a different matter. Sango hadn't had a lot of luck in keeping loved ones around. Kagome could have smacked the diplomat if he was there, damn the consequences. "Don't worry," she said. "It'll be okay."

After tugging on the limp servant for a few moments, Kagome quietly called two of the more responsible youkai over. A male and a female, Kagome had always suspected that they were mates, but had never asked them because of the embarrassment such a term still triggered within her. They had completed their work for the night, they said, and they would take Sango to her room. It was rare that Naraku beat someone so hard that they were unable to work, but it was clear that, in the kitchen, all Sango could do was take up floor space. The male scooped the slayer up into his arms and followed the female, who opened the doors for him.

It hurt to see her strong friend so crippled with pain, but she couldn't think on it and risk her own breakdown. Kagome put her hand to her cheek again and felt the tremendous welt forming beneath her fingers. It would do no good to moon over it, she decided, pushing herself to her feet. She had to make the prince's soup, so that Naraku would not have more of an excuse to hit her.

As she prepared Inuyasha's meal, the youkai silently pitched in, bringing her the utensils and ingredients needed and tending to the soup as it simmered over the fire. They said nothing to her, but she saw that they were finally taking notice of the little human girl. She decided that the wound Naraku inflicted was worth it in order to receive the respect and concern of these powerful creatures. She wondered what they would be like if Naraku was not there. Would they be friends? Would they talk to her openly as they talked to each other each night outside of her door?

She busied herself with these thoughts as she worked, trying to ignore the memories of Inuyasha's defeat at the hands of Kikyo, the way he admitted wordlessly that, in a way, he still loved the cruel princess. But she found herself pulled towards these thoughts anyway, as she fixed the tray up with the tea and soup. The others were ignoring her now, for the most part, since Naraku had began to give them dirty looks. She pulled the sword hilt from her sleeve and looked at it for a moment.

It was a relic from a time long past, that much she knew, but the details surrounding its significance beyond that were sketchy. The gilt arrowhead was the weapon of one of her ancestors and the Shikon no Tama, however much it lacked energy now, was said to be once so powerful that demons lost their minds because of it. But the sword hilt was enshrouded in rumor. It was from the Fang, the legendary Tetsusaiga, whose blade was lost long ago in some war or another. Some courtiers' children, knowing that Kagome would once inherit the guardianship of the Artifacts, whispered to her that a _hanyou_ possessed it. She had never realized that this could possibly be a bad thing – she had become even more enchanted with it.

But this was all speculation. It was ancient and it was once full of magic. That was all that was certain. Kagome hoped though that Inuyasha would realize the meaning of this second gift. The gilt arrowhead had pierced a hanyou's heart, but who said the hanyou didn't have his own weapon? She felt a sort of peace as she dropped it into the soup. If it had belonged to a half-demon in the past, surely it didn't belong with her, the eldest child of a king that was infamous for his hatred of youkai. Inuyasha had more claim to it than she did.

She gave the tray to another servant and went to her corner, to begin washing the pots used during her absence. She worked quickly, because she expected to be called to Inuyasha's room once again. After she had run out on him, he wouldn't be able to help himself from latching onto her little gift.

Soon enough, one of the castle staff came in and spoke with Naraku. As soon as he began to glower in her direction, Kagome put down her crockery and stood up. "Naraku-san?"

"Go. See. The prince," he breathed, his face turning red. Kagome could practically see the flames in his eyes.

She turned left before he could recover from his paralyzing anger. Her cheek still throbbed in memory as she escaped across the grounds and into the castle. Once she reached the royal family's apartment corridors, she lingered. She didn't look forward to returning to Naraku, of course, but she was equally unsure about going to Inuyasha. His anger and frustration would rival the cook's in a few moments. Despite her unease, she knocked softly on the door.

"Come in."

Kagome opened the door and the light of the hallway spilled into the room. She blinked and stepped inside. "Inuyasha-sama?" She stood in the rectangle of light left by the open door and frowned. "I can't see in the dark like you can, Your Highness."

A single lamp flared to life and the prince was suddenly there, his face etched in shadow. "There's a lot you can't do," he growled. "For instance, you seem incapable of making a simple bowl of bread soup without letting something valuable drop into it." He nodded towards the table nearby and Kagome could see, as her eyes grew adjusted to the low light, that his soup was untouched. He had simply gone to the bottom to see if there was another 'gift'.

"I don't know what you mean, Your Highness," she said quietly as she slid the door closed behind her.

He curled his hands into fists. "I already questioned the servant that brought it here!" he snapped. "He said that no one else came near the tray between the time he picked it up from you and when he brought it to me. So someone here is lying. I think it's you."

The princess turned her eyes down to the floor. "There is magic in this world that I cannot know, my prince. Perhaps you should consult with others on this matter, because I cannot help you."

Ears flattened, the hanyou stalked up to her. "You're lying. No one is using magic, you stupid human!" He froze for a moment and then grabbed her shoulders, pulling her close. She could no longer see his face, the light only coming from behind him, but she could hear him sniffing at her. "You _smell _like her! How could I not notice that you _smelled _like her!" he demanded, shaking her.

"I don't know who you mean!"

"The princess!" he snapped. "I know you know who that is!"

She pushed at him and turned her head away. "You're hurting me!" she cried out, as his claws dug into her arms. "Stop it!"

He released her and stepped back, as if he had put his hand into a fire. "Just… tell me," he said softly. "I have to find her." He opened his palm to display the sword hilt and leaned forward with a terrifying eagerness. "This is from Tetsusaiga, a sword that has been in my family for years. It was broken a long time ago and now it can be repaired. If for nothing else, I must know where she got this. Tell me if you know anything!"

Kagome shook her head, her eyes still welling up with tears. "I wish I knew something for you, my prince," she said, rubbing at her arms. "But why would anyone waste their time on a servant like me?"

"But you smell like her!" he snapped, his ire rising again.

Her heart leapt to her throat but she managed to fix a steady glare on the prince. "She smells like me? How unfortunate for her! A princess that smells like soot, grease and unwashed vegetables? Who has ever heard of that?"

Inuyasha snapped his mouth shut and shook his head, looking confused. "Well, I thought that…" He growled again. "Well, that just means that you were with her! You _are_ holding back on me!"

She twisted away again. "No. I promise you, Your Highness! I have never seen your princess and no one has given me anything to drop into your soup."

The prince snarled and clawed at his ears. "I can't tell if you're lying in order to drive me insane or you're actually telling the truth!" He came towards her. "Wash off the soot! The smell of dead fire is overwhelming! Wash it off and I'll be able to tell who is the liar!"

"You have no right," she hissed. She bowed and moved away. "Forgive me, Inuyasha-sama, but I must leave before I do or say anything that will land me in prison. I don't know what else I can tell you because I've said all that I can."

Kagome made it to the door before Inuyasha comprehended her words. "I haven't dismissed you!" he snapped. He grabbed a sandal from his bedside and threw it at her, easily striking her just above her ear. He lost his breath as he watched her cry out and fall to the ground.

Moments ticked by and the two remained silent and still, Kagome clutching her head and Inuyasha watching from his darkened room. The prince suddenly took several fast breaths and moved forward to his doorway. He felt so removed from his body, like he was watching someone else using his body to injure a servant. That was something other youkai nobles did, but even his acerbic nature wouldn't allow it. He _intended_ to help her, to take her to his personal physician, to apologize even.

But Miroku appeared and went to the girl first. "Kagome?" He gently pulled her hand from her head and made sound of surprise at the welt rising there. "Kagome, what happened?"

The princess shook her head slowly, feeling like her brain was rattling inside of her skull. Inuyasha had _hit_ her. She expected it from Naraku, but from the prince? How could he have kissed her so gently as a princess and abused her so harshly as Thousandfurs? Tears welled up in her eyes. "I'm fine," she whispered. "I fell."

Miroku leaned over her and picked up the sandal nearby. "Tripped on this, I suppose?" he said evenly with a frown.

She stood up shakily. "Yes. If you excuse me, my lord, I must return to my duties in the kitchen," she said, bowing slightly. Her eyes remained on the floor.

"Only if you're certain you're alright. That's a nasty bump," he replied, keeping _his_ eyes on the prince.

"Of course, my lord," she murmured.

Miroku watched as the girl scurried off and around the corner before turning on Inuyasha. "So, she fell?" he asked softly. The prince remained silent and a rare form of anger arose in the diplomat. "You hit a servant! I would have thought that even you would have more common sense than that! More compassion! Or have you completely lost your mind?"

Inuyasha's face twisted into life. "Hey! She tried to leave before I dismissed her! This wasn't my fault!"

"Oh? And you solved that problem by throwing a shoe at her?" the diplomat snapped back. "If I know you, Inuyasha, you were probably tormenting her in some way. I'm surprised she has the patience with you that she does! She even lies for you!"

"That _girl_ has information about the princess!" yelled the hanyou. "She lies _for _me? She only lies _to_ me! She does nothing else but interfere and stop me at every turn!"

"If Kagome is your only lead to the identity of your princess, then you need a new lead," Miroku replied, tossing the shoe to the ground. "Why don't you just leave the girl alone? You do nothing but make her life more difficult! And believe me, you know nothing about the difficulties of your servants' lives!"

The prince went back into his room, with the diplomat hot on his heels. "Like you know anything about it either!"

"You're right, I don't," he said. "I have lived a life of privilege almost equal to yours. But at least I'm aware that they do have hard lives and I try to not make it even harder for them. I don't know why you have singled out Kagome, but you have to stop! Not even your brother would have dreamed of striking a defenseless human girl."

Inuyasha burned red. "That big-tailed jackass wouldn't think twice about it!"

Miroku frowned. "Would he? Or are you just feeling guilty for what you did?" he asked. He sighed and folded his arms. "Apologize to her."

The prince sputtered and turned away. "Hell no! She's just a servant!"

"You were thinking of doing it anyway," pointed out the diplomat. He shrugged as Inuyasha shot him a surprised look. "What? Weren't you? Or did I misinterpret that lost puppy look you had when I arrived?"

"Shut up," groused the prince.

Miroku walked over to the door. "Well, this may be just pointing out the obvious, but _perhaps_ if you treated Kagome less as a disposable servant and more like a human, then she would help you on her own. I agree that she must know something, but traumatizing her will only make that information more difficult to uncover." He slid open the door and stepped out. "Apologizing would be a good start," he suggested, as he left the prince in the dark bedroom.

Inuyasha sighed and sat down heavily by his table and the now cold soup. "_Apologize_," he muttered. "Whatever."

As the prince sat there, however, he could not shake the image of the soot covered servant girl, clutching her head on the floor with tears in her eyes.

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A/N: So Inuyasha has a bit of a nasty streak, eh? In the fairy tale, the prince was both dimwitted and violent – he threw boots at Thousandfurs' head. I told you guys at the beginning that I wasn't going to Disney-fy this, so no complaints about Inuyasha being unreasonable! Haha. Please review! Thanks!


	12. Blood Shrine

Thousandfurs

Chapter 12: Blood Shrine

"Are you sure you're alright?"

"Yeah, I'm good." Kagome gently pressed her fingertips against her cheek and winced. "It's still tender, but it should be healed in a few days."

Shippo sighed from his perch on her shoulder as he studied the welt. "I can't believe he hit you!" he said again for the hundredth time.

The princess shrugged the shoulder the kit was not occupying. "I had a headache when I woke up, but it was Naraku's hit that still hurts, not Inuyasha's. Don't worry about it. Let's just enjoy our day off, alright?"

"I guess," said the fox, not sounding at all convinced. He listened to Kagome sigh and nodded. "Right. New subject. Well, I can't believe that the king gave us today off. He usually waits a few days after the feast, so the staff can clean up. Many of the nobles are still here after all."

"It is strange," agreed Kagome with a frown. The announcement that half of the staff had a free day had only come the night before, shortly after she had returned from Inuyasha's room with her fresh bruise. She feared that the king had heard about what had transpired between her and the prince. Her name had been at the top of the list for the first group to get the day off after all. Shippo had been waiting in her room when she had gotten back and the little fox had sat with her as Kagome had told him about her terrifying night. She hadn't even been able to tell Myoga, for fear of his reaction. So, at the moment, the princess didn't want to let go of her new confidante. When Shippo had suggested that they spend their day at the shrine just outside of the city, she had readily agreed.

"Sango wouldn't come then?" he asked softly.

Kagome shook her head. "Naraku did a real number on her back. She's in too much pain to walk this far. When I went to visit her this morning, she was resting though. Kagura had given her something to drink to help her heal."

"I hope she feels better soon," said Shippo.

The princess frowned again. She hadn't told the fox about Sango and Miroku, although he had been aware of their preliminary relationship. She didn't know if he could comprehend what was going on – she wasn't sure that _she_ understood it. "She will," Kagome replied. "But I think I will pray for her, just in case."

They walked through the castle gates and into the city proper. The market was open and busy once again, but Shippo instructed her to turn left and walk along the castle wall, where the crowds were thinner and no one paid attention to them. It was a bright day, but she felt downtrodden, even as she went to pray to Kami. "When I was a kid, I wanted to be a priestess," she said suddenly.

Shippo looked at her. Mikos were rarities in demon territories – they were one of the few sorts of humans that youkai feared because of their purification abilities. The shrine they were headed towards had shrine maidens, naturally, but they had no holy powers. They tended to the sacred place while the priest practiced his meditations and herbal remedies for the sick. For demons, shrines were usually practical, not spiritual, unless there was need for divine guidance. Demons usually relied on their own intuition though. "Why didn't you?"

Kagome looked around and lowered her voice. "Because I am… who I am. My father wouldn't allow it, although he didn't personally ask my opinion on the matter. My mother went to him and told him how proud she was of me, how much progress I was making in my spiritual studies. He blew up about how no daughter of his would lock herself away in some shrine for her entire life. I cried for three days."

"And then?" asked the fox.

"Then, I grew up," she replied stiffly. "I realized that my life was not my own and that my father would make all the decisions, even though he barely took the time to speak to me in passing. I knew that he would make me marry someone I would possibly never love. I just didn't realize who that would be."

Shippo jumped into her arms and looked up at the girl. "But it'll be alright now. Even if you stay a servant for the rest of your life, it'll be okay. Servants can marry anyone they want, you know?"

Her face pulled into a grimace as she thought of the proud prince, standing by his window and growling insults at her. "No, they can't. Not just _anyone_ they want." Kagome sighed. "I shouldn't have gone to that first dance, much less the second. All I've accomplished is distressing him and making myself miserable. He'll look for me at the next dance and what can I do? If I go, I'll just be continuing this charade and risking my identity. If I don't go… I think he would tear this kingdom apart. What am I going to do? Go to every dance until my kimonos fall apart? I'll be pathetic, if I'm not already."

"You're not pathetic." The fox kit paused and scratched at his ears. "Kagome. Do you love him? I mean, I know you like him a lot, because you wouldn't go see him if you didn't, but do you really love him?"

The princess bit her lip. "That's a loaded question. I do, when he knows who I really am and he treats me as someone precious, even in his heavy-handed way. And then, I hate him when he does stuff like-." She broke off and waved her hand over her bruised head. "I think though, that I mostly love him. Even after he hurt me, he had this look… the same one he gave me when I was a princess and he was asking me to stay with him. He was in pain, aware that everything might have changed."

"Inuyasha loves you," he said softly.

"He has the same problem I do," she corrected. "He loves the princess and hates Thousandfurs, just as I love the prince and hate the bitter man he can be. He just doesn't know that he has that problem. I'm keenly aware of it. And we're both miserable for it."

Shippo fell silent for a moment and then glanced up at her again. "Did you continue your studies to become a priestess, even though your father didn't want it?"

Kagome furrowed her brows. "No. Back then, it didn't occur to me that I could have disobeyed him. I always did as he asked, until it just became too much to bear. I could have been powerful though. Very powerful. Many of my ancestors were priestesses and my tutors said that I had a natural talent. Why do you ask?"

The little fox shrugged. "It'd be weird, you and Inuyasha being together, if you were a priestess too. A human _and_ a miko? I've never heard of it happening before."

"It probably has happened. When humans and youkai weren't at each others' throats and wars hadn't destroyed everything. A demon prince might have actively sought out someone as powerful as a priestess in the old days." She frowned. "I wonder if it would have gone back to how it was if Inuyasha and Kikyo had gotten married as planned."

Shippo scowled and shifted uncomfortably. "The only thing Kikyo was good for was making things worse," he said. "Let her be queen and she'll rip apart the demon territories too."

"Yeah, probably," Kagome whispered as they approached a small gate in the wall. A flagstone road ran through it, flanked by two guards.

He could smell her sadness, but did not mention it as the guards spotted them. After a few moments of answering their questions and waiting for the gate to swing open, the pair made their way through the city walls. The road ascended a small hill, atop of which the shrine sat. Shippo tugged upon Kagome's cloak and pointed it out. It was a large shrine, as befitted its placement close to the city and its slate roof looked almost blue in the sunlight. No less than three torii gates marked its entrance, along with a pair of massive guardian statues carved in the shape of dogs. Even Kagome could smell the incense wafting down the hill.

She stopped in her steps however, when she spotted a familiar steed grazing in the tall grass nearby. "Inuyasha is _here_," she whispered, starting to panic. "What is he doing here?"

Shippo frowned and leapt up to her shoulder. "Probably apologizing to the Kami for hitting you," he said sourly. "Just go in, Kagome. He still doesn't know it's you and he can't do anything in the shrine. He may be the prince, but the priest would never allow him to act against you in there."

"But how I smell… he commented on it last night. I managed to not give him a straight answer, but if he asks again, I might not be so able."

The fox shook his head. "Stop worrying, Kagome. The incense is so strong right now, that I can barely smell you."

Sighing, Kagome walked through the torii and to the fountain beside the shrine entrance. Washing her mouth and hands with the cold water, she quickly shed her shoes and went inside with the fox kit whispering assurances in her ear. Inuyasha was indeed there, bowing before the kami. Three shrine maidens looked up at Kagome when she came in, their dark eyes following her as she placed a coin in the offering box.

"She is human," said Shippo suddenly and softly, nodding towards the smallest of the three women standing near a far doorway. "I wonder why they took her in. A lot of youkai would avoid this place, knowing a human is tending to the shrine."

The princess nodded, aware that many demons would find this blasphemous. But Inuyasha was here, his forehead nearly to the ground, and he didn't seem to mind the fact that a human girl stood a few feet away. Kagome walked forward and bowed to the kami, moving her mouth as she silently prayed for her health, for Sango, and perhaps, a return to her former place as princess. Her cheeks burned red as she prayed for this – the kami had removed her title, why should they give it back for a coin and a prayer?

Beside her, Inuyasha shifted uncomfortably and turned his face to the wall, but continued to pray. He was embarrassed by her presence, she realized. She should have been pleased. His actions indicated that he felt remorse, after all. But all she felt was his embarrassment, eating away at her heart. She looked down at Shippo, who stood next to her in reverent silence, and decided that they had to leave. She had managed enough for today.

As she straightened her back, one of the shrine maidens – the human – approached her, holding out a thin wooden plate. Kagome stared at it for a moment. She rarely wrote her wishes on an ema for the kami to grant. The last time had been during her mother's illness, when she had made the long trip to the most sacred shrine outside of her city to write on the wood slab and leave it hanging in the trees. It would be rude to refuse the gift however, and so she took the ema and held it in her hands.

"She doesn't know how to write," Inuyasha said suddenly, his back still turned. He looked over his shoulder with his golden eyes at the human girls. "She's a servant in the castle. She doesn't know how to write. Or do you?" His gaze swiftly fixed upon Kagome with half-hearted suspicion.

The princess shook her head, keeping her eyes anywhere but his face. "No. No one has ever taught me how, Inuyasha-sama."

He stood up slowly, like an old man with his hands bracing against his knees. "Give me a brush and I'll write your wishes for you," he said.

Kagome shifted her weight and glanced at the prince. He looked tired with circles beneath his eyes and his silver hair unusually lackluster. "That would be very kind of you, Your Highness," she replied, as one of the other maidens pressed the brush and ink into his clawed hands. "But as I was about to tell this miko, I have no wish that important."

"Everyone wants something that the kami should hear about," he said. He nodded towards the human girl. "And she's not a miko. She was found wandering around the forest a few weeks ago and the priest was the only one that would take her in. She's too small to do any real work yet, but I guess she'll come to the castle kitchens soon enough."

The princess had never heard him speak so much without prodding. Why was he telling her so much? Helping her? She desperately wanted to ask if it had been his attack on her that had upset his natural instincts so much. Or perhaps her other identity, the guise of the silver kimono, that he was thinking about. "What is your name?" she asked the other human. The girl just smiled toothily at her.

"She doesn't talk," said one of the true shrine maidens, her eyes flashing with slight distrust at this new human. "No one can make her utter a sound. She may be deaf and dumb."

Kagome looked at the girl's glittering eyes. "She understands us," she asserted softly. She glanced back at the prince as he dipped the brush into the ink. "I wish that this girl could find her voice, so that she can have a name again."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes, but wrote down her words. "Anything else?" he asked, his easy brushstrokes gliding across the wood. "Anything selfish? This was supposed to be for you. Or are you one of those girls that can never ask anything for herself? That's really annoying, you know. It sounds so superior."

"It's hard to be superior when you're a servant," pointed out Kagome, her hackles rising. So much for being penitent and helpful! He couldn't even go three minutes in her presence without being a jerk! "But if you insist, Your Highness, put that I wish to not work for Naraku-san any longer."

He glanced up at her, his brush pausing in the inkwell. "Work for Naraku-san? Or the castle kitchens?"

"The kami may take it as they will," replied Kagome, her eyebrow raised.

The prince finished his work and handed over the ema. "I'd be careful what you wish for, Thousandfurs," he said darkly. "The kami have a funny way of interpreting things sometimes."

She glowered at him. "I also wish that Inuyasha-sama would remember my name and call me as such," she said hotly.

He smirked back at her and moved towards the door. "I know who you are, Thousandfurs."

Looking down at the ema in her hand, Kagome flushed red to see that, instead of her proper name, he had written 'Thousandfurs'. Shippo growled softly as he read it from her shoulder. "Hey!" she called, running after him and out onto the grounds. "Inuyasha-sama!"

He paused and turned to look at her. Although he still wore the smirk, his ears fell limply against his head. Kagome took a moment to gather her strength to make him feel worse than he already did, but Shippo spoke first. "You wrote 'Thousandfurs' on here!" the fox kit snapped. "It's one thing to call her that to her face, but you're talking to the kami! You should have more respect, Your Highness!" He jumped down to the ground and stared up at the prince. "Especially after what you did to her!"

Inuyasha blanched and looked at Kagome. The princess shook her head sadly. "I couldn't lie to him, my prince."

"Oh, but you can lie to me freely!" he shot back.

Kagome bit her lip. "I would do nothing against you without careful thought," she replied, her voice returning to its normal pitch. "Please, you have to understand…"

Inuyasha began to interrupt her, his ears straightening. But suddenly, there was the creaking noise of a gate and the three fell silent as they turned to see who was coming up the hill. "Sesshoumaru-sama," said Shippo. "And Prince Koga. They must be leaving today. I didn't think they'd want to stop at the shrine first."

"Shut up, runt," murmured Inuyasha, his eyes on his brother and his enemy. The apples of his cheeks turned red as he remembered that Koga had been witness to the scene the previous night. As he watched the wolf smirk, the prince realized it was a minor miracle they hadn't already collided that morning. "Damn it."

Sesshoumaru and Koga left their retinues outside of the torii and entered together. The dog demon wore white and the wolf wore his traditional furs, looking shabby next to his kingly companion. Kagome bowed and retreated to the far corner of the courtyard with Shippo close behind. "He danced with me last night," said the princess when the fox leapt up to her shoulder again. "Will he recognize me?"

The fox watched as the wolf and dog demons washed their hands and mouths at the fountain. "Possibly," he admitted. "Sesshoumaru has a better nose than anyone I know, even with the incense burning. But even if he did recognize your scent, he wouldn't really care to tell Inuyasha about it. He keeps his own counsel."

Kagome nodded, smiling to herself when Sesshoumaru passed by without a glance and went into the shrine. The same could not be said of the wolf prince. Koga hovered in the courtyard, smirking at the hanyou prince. "So, dog crap," drawled the wolf, as he cleaned his hands, "have you seen your pretty little girl around lately?"

"Mind your own business, wolf," snapped Inuyasha.

Koga stepped away from the fountain before he finished the ritual and put his hands on his hips. "You have no clue who she is, do you?" he laughed.

The prince froze for a moment before relaxing. "Neither do you!"

The wolf took out his offertory coin and began to flip it between his fingers, his thumbnail clicking on the metal. "On the contrary, I know exactly who she is."

Shippo's claws dug into Kagome's shoulder to stop her from gasping out loud. Her fingers closed sharply around the ema. "No, please," she whispered, so quietly that she could not hear herself. "I have a new wish. Don't let it be this way."

Inuyasha set his jaw. "You're lying," he gritted out. "She would never have told you."

"Maybe she wasn't entirely truthful about who she really preferred," the wolf said with a smile. "Or perhaps you're not worthy of her. It was quite a simple task to find her true identity. Says something about you, doesn't it?"

"Ignore him, Inuyasha," Kagome whispered as the prince tensed up his body and closed his eyes. "Don't get angry, please."

Koga's chest rumbled with laughter again. "Come on, Inuyasha. Don't you want to know who it is?" he mocked.

Inuyasha's eyes snapped open. "You don't know! She has chosen me. If she would have told anyone, she would have told me first. She was about to last night, when you and Kikyo interrupted us," he said. "After I asked her to stay."

Shippo made a little noise of surprise. "He asked you to stay with him?" he whispered.

"Yeah. So? I thought it was kind of sweet."

The fox kit shook his head and watched Koga turned red in anger. "Oh, he's not laughing now," Shippo muttered. "Kagome, youkai take what you would call marriage a lot more seriously than humans. If he's asking you to stay with him, that's really intense. It's not just a visit, it's the beginning of becoming mates."

Kagome's eyes widened in realization as Koga advanced upon the hanyou. "She would never stay with you," he snapped. "Who would stay with a mongrel when she could stay with a true prince like me?"

"Where? In a cave?" sneered Inuyasha. "You're not a prince, you're the animal."

"At least I don't stand in front of her and admit that I would go to another female if given the chance," said Koga. "You think that two dances are going to convince her that Kikyo isn't a threat? I'm surprised she didn't run from you earlier."

The hanyou growled, his golden eyes flashing. "Oh? And what about you? Have you told her about Ayame yet?"

Koga bared his teeth. "There's nothing to tell!"

"I think the fact that your father intends for her to be your mate is more than nothing!" Inuyasha yelled back. "Although, I have to say I feel sorry for her! She's stuck with an ass like you!"

There was a flash of movement and suddenly Koga was on the hanyou. Kagome screamed, but Shippo pulled on her cloak. "You're just a servant!" he warned softly. "Let them do what they want!"

Inuyasha threw off the wolf, rolled to his feet and launched a counterattack, swinging his claws at the other prince. Koga dodged and tried to sweep his claws across Inuyasha's gut, but missed by inches. The hanyou yelled and slammed down his fist where Koga had been a moment before.

Sesshoumaru suddenly appeared at the shrine entrance, his usually impassive face creased with irritation. The shrine maidens stood nearby, their hands clasped in worry. "You dishonor the kami," he said to the fighting pair. "Stop this!"

Koga dove for Inuyasha and left four long claw marks in a tree. It shook with the force, shedding the paper slips, omikuji, marked with fortunes for the kami to read. They fell like white rain as the wolf went for the hanyou again. The shrine maidens made noises of distress as they stepped on the omikuji. "Stop it!" they cried. "Please, stop!"

The silent human girl slipped around Sesshoumaru and her companions and walked slowly over to the tree, trying to avoid the wolf and dog demons. She began to collect the omikuji, tucking them into her sleeves. Inuyasha and Koga didn't see her as they continued to trade blows. Inuyasha had deep claw marks in his shoulder, with blood dripping onto the ground. Koga didn't bleed, but clutched at his ribs often enough to tell everyone that he had his own injuries.

Miroku came through the torii and stopped when he caught sight of the fight in progress. "Inuyasha! Koga-sama!" he called. The pair ignored him and the diplomat brought forward a staff that Kagome had never seen before, with rings jingling at the top. He sighed and walked over to Sesshoumaru. "My king, I came as soon as I had heard that the two princes would be so unfortunate as to be here together."

"Inuyasha dishonors my father's name with this childish behavior," said the taiyoukai. He glanced at the diplomat's staff. "You are a monk as well?"

"I broke the tradition in my family by becoming a diplomat instead," admitted Miroku. "But I have some inherent holy powers. If it comes down to it, I will use these." He pulled out several slips of paper – demon wards.

Sesshoumaru restrained himself from recoiling from the potent paper. "Despite my intense dislike for both my half-brother and the wolf prince, I expect that purification will not be necessary."

Miroku watched as Inuyasha was sent flying across the courtyard, his back slamming into a tree trunk and sending down another flock of omikuji. The prince sat at the base of the tree, shaking his head clear. "Well, this really isn't going anywhere."

"Watch out!"

The diplomat and demon king looked up to see Kagome stretching out her hands. Koga was speeding towards the still sitting Inuyasha, lifting his claws high in the air. But as Inuyasha moved away, there was a split second of realization for the reason of Kagome's outburst.

Koga's claws came down into the little girl's back as she continued to collect the omikuji. Blood splattered upon them as she cried out and fell into the grass. Koga pulled back sharply, his claws sliding out of her flesh with ease. He looked up at the others, the color draining from his face. "I… she was just there! How… I mean…"

Kagome ran forward, across the courtyard, but was caught in Miroku's arms. "Don't, Kagome," he said.

"I have to see! Someone has to try to help her!" she cried, struggling in his grasp.

"Not even a demon could survive a blow like that," said the diplomat. He looked up as the shrine maidens bent over the silent girl. They were carefully avoiding the pool of blood collecting around her. Shaking their heads, they looked up at Miroku with impassive faces. "I'm sorry, Kagome. There's nothing we can do."

One of the shrine maidens stood and stared at Koga. "You've tainted this sacred place with the impurity of death," she seethed.

"I didn't mean to hurt anyone!" the wolf snapped.

"Except for my brother," Sesshoumaru intoned, stepping forward. He dismissed the two angry shrine maidens with a wave of his hand. "You were fighting in the world of the kami and this is the result. You should both be ashamed."

"We didn't even know who she was!" wailed Kagome, earning a look of irritation from several of the others.

Miroku bowed his head and pressed his hands together, whispering a prayer for the dead. "We shall find out who she was, so that her family may know of her fate," he said softly.

"She was probably some street urchin," said Inuyasha, his eyes shifting to avoid looking at the corpse. "She wouldn't have any family."

The diplomat shrugged. "Or she is the child of traders, or nobility. Those are probably the only humans that come near here. They would want to know the whereabouts of their child, so that they may say the proper prayers." He paused and frowned. "There is one more possibility of course. Besides traders and nobles, the only place a human could have come from was Nakao."

Koga and Inuyasha both jerked their heads up, staring at the diplomat. "Nakao?" said the wolf prince, speaking the word as it left a bad taste in his mouth. "Why would any human from that hellish place be willing to come here? They're all taught that we're monsters. It's practically the only thing they teach the schoolchildren there."

Miroku nodded his agreement. "Yes, and this girl was friendly towards all youkai, so it's unlikely that she is from Nakao. But if she is, it's possible that she is the Nakao princess. I think the age is about right."

Kagome's eyes widened and Shippo once again dug his claws into her skin, reminding her to keep silent. Sesshoumaru, meanwhile, sent a cool look towards Miroku. "Many human children are of this age. Why should this corpse be a princess?"

"I'm not certain of it, of course, Your Majesty," said the diplomat. "But it fits. She arrived a short time ago and the Nakao kingdom just officially announced that they have been missing their princess. They would have looked on their own for quite some time before making that admission, although we had pretty much known already."

Inuyasha scowled. "I hadn't heard about that."

"Well, perhaps you should make a habit of coming to my daily reports with your parents," Miroku said, his voice edged with irritation. "The point is, the timeline fits and the fact that she came here, the one place that she had half a chance to gain acceptance, speaks to my theory. She remained completely silent in order to keep her secret."

The hanyou shot Thousandfurs a brief look. "Why would a princess leave her life in Nakao to come here?"

"I think we have all heard the rumors," said the diplomat, the corners of his lips turning down. "I don't think they bear repeating in this holy place."

Inuyasha burned red for a moment. "But she's so young," he said.

Miroku nodded solemnly. "Which makes it that much more disgusting. The princess of Nakao has a brother of about seventeen years. I cannot know the king's motives, but perhaps he does not want his own son to succeed him, necessitating another marriage and heir."

Sesshoumaru looked down at the body. "If she is the princess, this could start a war."

Suddenly, there was a ripple of sound, like the hollow echo of an enormous drumbeat. The demon king looked down at his side, his eyebrow raised in slight surprise. A small sword pulsed at his hip with urgency. Everyone else leaned forward to look at the unimpressive blade. "Tenseiga," said Miroku softly. "Why would it call for you now, Your Majesty?"

"I have witnessed many deaths, but it has never awoken," said the taiyoukai. "Perhaps you are right, and this girl is a princess and worthy to be revived."

"Revived?" said Kagome, her voice surprising the males who had forgotten about her presence. "You can bring her to life, Your Majesty?"

The dog demon looked at her and she fell back slightly, feeling the cold stare close around her heart. "I have never cared to use the sword, but when my father gave it to me, he said it had the power to reverse death." He looked at the dead girl again. "To use it on a human is a waste."

"But she may be royalty," said the servant girl, lying through her teeth.

Sesshoumaru cast her a sidelong glance, brief and unnoticed by the others. "Perhaps," he said. "And then, I suppose it can be justified." He drew the pulsating sword from its sheath and stepped up to the body. Narrowing his eyes at something that no one else could see, he swiped at the air with the blade. Kagome felt that she could hear the faint, shrill scream of something unearthly dying at her feet.

The corpse moved with a half-hearted sigh and suddenly, a living girl sat up in a pool of her own blood. She blinked and looked up at Sesshoumaru, still standing over her with his sword drawn. She smiled brilliantly at him.

"Keh, I think she likes you," said Inuyasha with a smirk.

"I have revived her from death. It is not unexpected that she look upon me as a savior," said the taiyoukai. He sheathed his sword and frowned at the girl. "What is your name?"

The little girl remained silent, smiling at him. Kagome couldn't help but smile with her. "Perhaps, you should give her a name, Your Majesty," Miroku said, looking very satisfied. "Until she finds her voice."

"If she has one," said the demon king. "But I will not name her. There will be no further attachment here."

"Let's call her Rin and she can be your faithful little companion, my king," said the diplomat, his grin spreading.

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow, the only sign of his alarm. "I have no need of a pet."

"She may be a princess, Your Majesty," he replied. "It will do no good for people to hear that you rejected the opportunity to care for a fellow king's only daughter. Even if she is the daughter of an enemy, it will paint you as fair and just. He will only receive hatred for allowing his child to wander off."

"Are you implying that it is my obligation to care for this child?" asked Sesshoumaru, almost growling.

Miroku shook his head. "No, of course not, Your Majesty. A king is never obligated to anyone but his own subjects and she definitely does not fall into that particular category. I simply suggest that you take her into your care because it will cast you in a favorable light and the Nakao king as a villain, even to his own subjects. And I think we all agree that Nakao could use some discontentment."

The dog demon king stared at the diplomat for a moment. "Although you may sway my father with your silver tongue, I will not be so easily manipulated. I already have a child in my care, one of my own blood and race."

Inuyasha rocked back and forth on his heels, loving the obvious discomfort of his elder brother. "Yuki always wanted a girl, didn't she?" he asked, grinning.

Sesshoumaru shot his sibling a deadly glare and then began to walk away. "I will no longer participate in this foolishness," he said as he passed by the diplomat.

"And the girl?" called Miroku at the king's back.

The taiyoukai paused for a moment, his head turning slightly. "She may do as she pleases," he said, walking again.

Miroku looked at the little girl, still staring after her savior with adoration. "Go on," he whispered with a wink. "Make sure you bow to the queen when you meet her."

The former corpse got up, quickly bowed to the adults surrounding her and raced after the taiyoukai, catching up with him as he approached the torii. He didn't look or speak with her, but simply paused so that she might go through the sacred gates at his side. Outside the shrine, the more sharp-eared of the group could hear the exclamations of the young queen and her son as they met their new companion.

Miroku turned to Kagome. "I must go into the shrine and explain the situation to the priest." He cast a glance at the two princes, who were already glaring at each other again. "You'll be alright getting home?"

"I'll be fine," she said with a smile. But her heart was clenching uncontrollably all of a sudden. Ten minutes ago, she had been a princess in hiding, and now she had just watched a girl bearing her reputation follow one of the most powerful kings into safety. How had this happened? What about her own safety? "Thank you."

He nodded and looked at Koga. "Your Highness, despite the happy ending of this near disaster, I don't think the priest will be very pleased. You may want to make your own departure."

Koga scoffed and turned. "Fine. Like I would want to be here with a bunch of losers like you." He raced off in a cloud of dust, not stopping to wait for his unprepared retinue at the gates.

Inuyasha shifted uncomfortably as the diplomat gave him a piercing stare. "So go, already!" he snapped. "Talk to the priest. I'm done here too."

"Sometime, proper apology should be made for what has happened here," said Miroku, frowning deeply. "In the meantime, I will not tell the king about this."

The prince's shoulders released their tension. "Good. You better-."

Miroku interrupted, "I think you should." He smiled at Kagome. "I hope the rest of your day off goes better, Kagome. I'll see you later, then? Bye, Shippo."

She nodded as the fox kit waved and the diplomat turned to go into the shrine, leaving just the three alone in the courtyard, as it had been before the whole mess. Inuyasha crossed his arms and looked away, his face turning to stone. Shippo bristled, but Kagome simply scooped him up into her arms before walking away.

She remembered the ema in her hands as she passed where the others had been hung out for the kami to read. The wooden plate had bitten into her hands, unnoticed, as she had squeezed it during the little girl's temporary death. Red lines streaked across her palms, but she hung up the ema anyway, repeating her wishes in a short prayer. _Let the girl find her name_, she thought. She left her other wishes, her deepest desires, fall silent. How could she ask for help from the kami when she didn't really know what she wanted? How could she yell at them for the unfairness of what had just happened?

They made the journey back to the castle in silence, both in voice and thought. Kagome was tired of thinking about her situation, tired of wondering how Inuyasha would react if he ever knew, tired of worrying about her father's search for her. She let her mind fall into a meditative quiet, only thinking hard enough to keep her feet moving in the right direction. Shippo eventually fell asleep in her arms.

The servants' quarters were quiet as well, as she approached with the slumbering fox kit. All of the others were out for their day off or working in the kitchens for dinner. It was a few hours off yet, but there were a few lords and ladies left and so it remained necessary for the meal to be special. Kagome's worrisome thoughts returned and she wondered again why the king had given the staff the day off when there was still a lot of work to be done. He had to have known what happened between her and Inuyasha. How could he not with his sensitive nose and ears and his way of knowing when anything was wrong in his household?

She went into her small room under the stairs and found Myoga sitting with his nose pressed up against the list of people with that day off. Her shoulders stiffened, remembering how they had parted the previous night. He had accused her of selfishness, warning her about assassins from her father. He had been right, at the very least about the latter. "Hi."

He looked up and frowned. "Good afternoon, Kagome," he said, giving a sharp look at the kit.

"You've met Shippo," she whispered, laying the fox down on her futon. She straightened up and looked back at the flea. "He knows."

Myoga bristled. "What? Kagome!"

"Don't you dare blame me!" She paused and thought about how the assassin had found her, retrieving her furs from a barrel while clad in a silver kimono. "Well, okay, it was kind of my fault. He wouldn't have found me if I hadn't gone to the dance, but Shippo saved me! He guessed who I was and I confirmed it."

"Can he be trusted though?" wheezed the irritated flea.

"Of course I can!" Shippo rubbed at his eyes as he sat up. "I wouldn't have saved her if I was going to turn around and tell everyone who she is!"

"And yet you're eavesdropping," Myoga snapped back.

"I woke up!"

Kagome stamped her foot, sending a rain of dust down on all of them. "Enough!" she growled, sounding distinctly like Sesshoumaru. "Shippo, I need to talk to Myoga for a few minutes okay? Go upstairs and check on Sango for me?"

"Sure thing, Kagome," said the fox kit, sticking his tongue out at Myoga before leaving.

"I can't believe you trusted that little brat-."

"I'm not interested in your opinion of Shippo," interrupted Kagome, her eyes turning steely. "He's my friend. He's good and loyal and he saved me and he should get your thanks for that, not your insults. It was my fault that I was caught by that guy, not his."

Myoga sulked, crossing his arms. "Fine. What did you want to talk about then?"

Kagome sat down on her futon. "Sesshoumaru. He just saved a little girl from death up at the shrine and everyone there decided that that little girl was me. That she was the Nakao princess. And you know what they did? They entrusted her to Sesshoumaru-sama and he took her! No one even talked about turning her back to Nakao or my father or anything!" She began to shed tears she hadn't realized she was holding. "When we came here, you told me that I couldn't say anything, but they granted this little girl amnesty without even being certain of who she was."

The flea shifted uncomfortably. "If she died, that could have started a war, if she was actually you. And you don't know! Sesshoumaru will most likely contact Nakao with news of this girl's appearance. Soon enough they'll realize that she isn't who they thought she was."

"You're missing the point," said Kagome, tears still flowing. "I should have been able to say something! I should have been able to stand there and say 'no, I'm the princess!' But I couldn't! I didn't say a word. I just smiled as this little ten year old girl took my place!"

"Ten?" questioned the flea, taken aback.

"Yeah," said Kagome, waving her hand in the air. "I guess there's some confusion about the birth order. Miroku said something about the 'princess having a seventeen year old brother'. They just mixed me and Sota up."

Myoga frowned. "Well, I still think that it was wise of you to keep quiet."

"But, Myoga! If Inuyasha only knew! He would protect me! Please, I know he would!"

The flea set his jaw. "No, Kagome. Think about it. You're a grown woman, as opposed to this small helpless child. The situation is different, especially considering her brush with death." He closed his eyes. "Besides, how do you think Inuyasha would react if you told him who you really are? He's not the most tolerant demon. I heard what happened last night when you went to see him…"

She stared. "You know? How?"

"Everyone knows," he replied flatly. "His father sent him to the shrine to ask forgiveness this morning. When I heard you were going too, I came here to stop you, but I was too late. Obviously."

"Please, Myoga…"

The flea gave her a cold look. "Imagine how much it would kill him to realize that he's been mistreating the one woman that has given him the chance to be more than just 'the hanyou prince'." His face softened at her stricken expression. "I'm sorry, Kagome. But I don't think we should take this risk. If you're sent back to your father, you know what will happen to us."

Kagome's tears came back with a vengeance as she collapsed on her futon. "Please leave," she cried, her words muffled by the bedding. "I can't talk to you. Leave."

Myoga's shoulders slumped as he hopped away, just moment before Shippo returned. "Kagome? I smelled tears. Kagome!" he cried out as he opened the door, revealing the red-eyed girl.

The princess continued to cry throughout the afternoon, with the little fox trying to calm his friend. Eventually, they fell asleep, exhausted by their despair.

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A/N: Yeah, I know. Poor Kagome. Things will get better! I'm very happy to be done with this chapter though – it took forever and I rewrote the whole Sess/Koga/Inu/Mir/Kag/Rin/Shippo scene a million times. (Yes, it was Rin – I sincerely hope that you all picked up on that blatant fact. Haha.) The next chapter will have some Inuyasha and Kagome goodness though! I'll try not to take so long too!


	13. Suspicion

Thousandfurs

Chapter 13: Suspicion

A few days later, Myoga was still noticeably absent. Inuyasha had been avoiding contact with her – not that it was that difficult for a prince to avoid one kitchen girl – and Miroku still had not spoken with Sango. It was a mess, but Kagome tried to keep busy, with her mind off of these things. With Naraku around, it wasn't difficult. She scrubbed and washed and dusted and chopped and hauled with no complaint, her face always twisted into concentration, as if removing lime stains was the most important thing in the world.

Sango was up and moving again – that was the one bright spot in Kagome's misery. The demon slayer still walked stiffly in the morning, but Kagura had pronounced that her burgeoning demon abilities would prevent scarring. However, the taijiya joined the princess in her depression, speaking little and shuffling around to her tasks with mindless obedience.

None of the demons noticed the two girls' bad tempers, except perhaps Kagura and Kanna, who had to live with Sango and her crying. Shippo was decidedly concerned, but he was kept quite busy himself and only had the time to visit Kagome each night on his way to bed. So both of them wallowed in their loneliness for almost a week, until they hit the next bump in the road.

At the moment, Kagome was at the well, attaching the bucket to the rope with her frozen fingers that had almost turned blue. The wind screamed around her ears, poking and finding every place her cloak did not satisfactorily cover her body. She cried out in frustration as her numb fingers slipped and undid the knot again. She sat back for a moment and breathed slowly. Tears would literally freeze to her skin in these temperatures and she could not afford to waste energy crying. She tackled the rope again and growled. Snow was wedging itself around her feet and she shook them. Frostbite was the last thing she could handle right now!

She fought with the idea of going back to Naraku without water when warm, clawed hands closed over hers. "Keh, stupid human. If you'd just calm down, you'd get it."

The prince had crept up on her without noticing, but Kagome just sighed and let him take the bucket from her without comment. He was garbed in his traditional red, but this day, even he wore a cloak, woolen and dark brown. Kagome looked down to see that he still wore no shoes though. "Thank you, Your Highness," she said softly, as he tied the bucket to the rope with ease. "It was just too cold."

Inuyasha spared a glance for her fingers, which were tinged with blue. The snow had long ago washed off the soot up to her wrists. "You're going to lose them like this," he said, not very kindly. "Who sent you out here, instead of a youkai?"

"Naraku."

He didn't take offense to her dropped honorific as he sneered. "Of course." He went to the well and lowered the bucket quickly, grimacing when he heard the crash of wood. "It's frozen solid," he huffed, drawing the bucket back up. "I hope you have enough water already for dinner."

Kagome shrugged. She didn't have much to do with the actual cooking, unless it was the prince's bread soup. "I'll go tell Naraku-san."

Inuyasha looked at her with golden eyes for a moment, making her shift in discomfort, before nodding. "Yeah, tell him. Then come back." He frowned as she gave him a look of surprise. "You need to get checked out by the healer. You'd be pretty useless as a kitchen girl if you lost your fingers and Naraku would never send you. He forgets that servants can't be replaced easily."

Kagome fumbled with the bucket and then bowed. "Yes, Your Highness," she murmured.

They walked towards the kitchen in a silence of the sort you find after saying goodbye to an acquaintance and then realizing you're both heading the same way. Kagome gladly broke away from him at the entryway to the kitchen, but then hesitated and looked back. Inuyasha appeared contemplative in the whirling snow, kicked up by the harsh wind. "I'll wait here," he said simply, barely looking at her.

She slid open the door and dropped the empty bucket before walking up to Naraku and bowing. "The well water was frozen, Naraku-san. I'm sorry, I could not get any." She was shaking, the warmth of the kitchen sending her muscles into spasms after her exposure to the freeze outside.

The blood eyed demon scowled at her. "You useless little brat," he sneered. "Fine, get to work then! I want the hearth to shine by the time you're done scrubbing it!"

"I'm sorry, Naraku-san, but His Highness insists that I see a healer," she said softly.

Her words gave the tyrant chef pause. "His Highness?" he echoed. "Why would the prince care about your health?"

Kagome held out her blue hands, now turning purple as the blood rushed back to her extremities. Her joints were stiffening and she frowned at the dull ache that began in her wrists down to her fingertips. "He thinks I may have a bit of frostbite," she said.

"Again, why would he care?" said Naraku. His voice had dropped to a dangerously soft tone as he narrowed his eyes. "You were there when the prince and Koga-san killed that little girl, weren't you?"

The princess scowled inwardly, unsure of what this had to do with the painful tingling in her hands. "Yes, Naraku-san."

"Something happen there that we haven't been made aware of?" he sneered, leaning in close to her body. "They say that little girl was a princess of some sort."

"I don't know, Naraku-san," she said, uneasy with the disbelief lacing his voice. "It all happened very fast. I was just there to give my prayers to the kami."

The chef scoffed and straightened his back. "You're a useless twit anyway," he snapped. "Go with your prince. See if it does you any good!"

Kagome frowned at his words, but bowed and fled from the kitchen, aware that the prince was waiting for her in the cold. When she emerged from the warm building to see that he still stood there, she breathed a sigh of relief. "I thought you would tire of waiting for me," she explained as he quirked a white brow at her. "Thank you for staying, my prince."

He began to walk towards the guard barracks, where the healer also resided with her by his side. "Naraku kept you, I guess," he said.

It wasn't really a question, but the girl answered anyway. "Yes, Your Highness. I don't think he believed that you would care about the health of a servant girl."

Inuyasha shifted his shoulders, drawing the cloak closer to his body. "I hardly believe it either," he said, sounding irritated. His face softened, his eyes trained on the barracks. "I guess I get you in trouble with him a lot, eh?"

Kagome almost fell over in shock at his concern. "No more than any other servant," she said finally, when she had recovered. "He ignores me unless I'm not doing my work to his satisfaction."

"Which must be a lot," he said. When she shot him a rather hurt look, he explained. "I mean, Miroku has this crusade against the guy and keeps saying that Naraku will punish anything and everything, even if it's good by any other standards. It'd be nice if the pervert gave us some proof or a witness of abuse. Then my father could do something."

Kagome frowned. "Everyone is afraid to come forward."

Inuyasha sighed, his ears flattening against his head. "Here we are," he said quickly, jogging the last few steps to the barracks and opening the door. "Come on, before the healer goes to eat lunch."

The princess followed, stepping into the pleasantly warm building. Forgetting their earlier topic of conversation, she closed the door and reveled in the perfect temperature. Not cold, like her own quarters, and not sweltering hot, like the kitchen. Just _perfect_. She smiled at the prince, who turned his head away and walked down the narrow corridor.

It was quiet, in the way a building was when all of the inhabitants were sleeping peacefully. The paper walls were dark with age, but strong and some were glowing with the light behind them. The pair turned down hallway after hallway, all with the same appearance that Kagome would have marveled at the prince's sense of direction if each door hadn't been numbered. They arrived at the corner of the building closest to the castle and it opened up a bit. One door stood in the wider hallway and it was ajar. Inuyasha sighed. "Good, she's not busy."

Kagome followed him into a large room, which smelt of herbs and ashes. A woman sat near the fire in the middle, stoking it with a long stick as something bubbled in a kettle. She looked up at her visitors and the princess saw that one eye was covered by a thick patch. "Prince Inuyasha! And what have ye brought me today?" She turned her good eye, sparkling with life, to Kagome's fur covered figure.

"Servant from the kitchen. She might have frostbite," grumbled the prince, as if he were rethinking the whole expedition.

"Unlikely. She doesn't have the look of it. But I'll see what I can find." The old healer stood up and motioned to the cot behind her. "Get to the bed, child. I have to look at ye."

Kagome sat down immediately, sensing that this woman didn't go in for nonsense. She gave her hands up for careful inspection as the healer clucked her tongue. "Do I have frostbite?" she asked, after several minutes of her hands being poked.

"No," she said, dropping the girl's hands. "They'd be white if ye did have it. Purple isn't a very good color either though. You're a bit frozen girl, but you'll keep all your parts."

"Thank you," the princess said. She tried to stand but the healer pushed her down again.

"I didn't say ye could go. Ye need to stay and warm up a bit." She eyed the thick, damp cloak. "Take off the furs and socks and I'll go fetch ye some more blankets."

Kagome nodded dumbly, wondering if she would have to go back to work that day. "I really don't feel that bad, you know," she said.

The healer put her hands behind her back and gave her a careful glance. "I know, girl, but if the prince brings someone to me, I take extra caution. You're shaking and you're colors that no human should be, and that's enough for me. Now sit and be quiet. The name's Kaede by the way," she said as she shuffled out.

The princess turned to Inuyasha, who had shed his own cloak. "She's human, isn't she?" she asked.

"Keh, she used to be, a long time ago," said the prince, settling down on the floor. "She saved my dad's life once, supposedly, so he brought her here to be his healer. She's good. She saved my mom too, when she almost died having me."

"Your mom almost died?" asked Kagome softly. "I didn't know that."

He blushed and turned away. "Most people don't." He gave her a sidelong glance. "You're supposed to take off the furs, remember?"

Kagome froze. The soot still covered her skin, except her hands, of course. But without the fur cloak, wouldn't he recognize her shape? He had held her so close that she didn't doubt that he could. Looking around, she grabbed the one blanket that she had so far. It was thick enough, she decided, weighing it in her hands. "Turn around, please, Your Highness," she said, standing up.

"Don't be stupid. You're wearing clothes underneath."

She narrowed her eyes at him. Is this why he stayed? He could have dropped her off and left. He was a prince – he surely had other things to do than baby-sit a sickly human girl. It was because he knew she would have to remove the cloak! "Well, that's true, but it's still not proper," she said, improvising wildly. "In my old home, a woman does not shed her clothes in the same room as a man she is not married to."

She got the desired effect as the prince blushed again. "That's dumb. Good thing demon territories aren't so uptight," he said. He scowled at her and turned around to face the wall. "There. Happy now? Be quick about it."

Kagome dropped the furs to the floor and shook out the blanket, wrapping herself in it from head to toe. It was surprisingly warm and she fell back on the cot, wanting to curl up and sleep. "Thank you," she said. "I'm finished."

Inuyasha turned back and discreetly swept his eyes over the girl, scoffing. "You have some serious problems, Thousandfurs."

"Probably," she conceded. "The one I'm most concerned with at the moment, however, is why you felt the need to save me, Your Highness."

"Keh, you call that saving you? I was just bored. Besides, it wouldn't be very convenient to lose another scullery maid."

Kagome bit her lip and looked away. "I would think I'm easy to replace."

Inuyasha picked up the salty scent of tears and threw her a stricken look. "Oy! Thousandfurs, what're you crying for?"

"I'm not crying," she argued, rubbing at her eyes. "I'm just trying to understand you!"

"Why the hell would you care about that?" muttered the prince, standing up and walking towards her. He stared down at her for a moment before sitting down beside her on the cot. "Understand me? Damn it, Thousandfurs, I don't understand you either."

Kagome wiped away the last of her tears and stared at him. "Inuyasha," she said, with a smile, "I'm just a servant and you're a prince. Why would you want to understand me?"

"Something tells me that you're more than just a servant," he replied, stiffening his spine. "Why have you been lying to me? I know you know her."

"I will tell you," she said, watching his eyes widen, "but first you tell me – truthfully – why you really are taking care of me."

Inuyasha shrugged. "Because you do know the truth about that girl."

Kagome nodded, wrapping the blanket tightly around her body. "Okay, well then, I'll tell you. I know the girl because I was the one that knew her best in my last home."

The prince drew away from her and scowled. "That doesn't do me any good! Tell me the whole truth!"

"You first!" snapped back Kagome. "Why. Did. You. Help. Me."

Inuyasha flushed red again and they glared at one another for several moments, until Kaede finally appeared again. "Well! I had a time finding these! I should have guessed that the guards never did their laundry." She frowned at the tension between the prince and the servant, but hobbled over anyway. "Here are the blankets, child. Wrap yourself up, nice and warm now. Ye should remain here until at least dinnertime. Tell me if anything ails ye." She gave a sharp look to the prince, effectively breaking his anger and forcing his eyes to the floor.

The pair sat in cowed silence for several long moments as Kaede went to her work desk and began mixing and grinding herbs with her pestle and mortar. Kagome tucked the new blankets around her, but did not lie down on the cot, as Inuyasha remained next to her. Why wouldn't he go away, she mused angrily. If he wasn't going to talk, he should have to decency to let her get some rest.

A guard came in and poked his head around the corner, completely missing the presence of the prince. "Kaede-san, that damn lieutenant-what's-his-name disregarded your orders and stood on his ankle. I think it's completely broken now, instead of just fractured."

The old healer lifted herself to her feet with an irritated cluck of her tongue and gathered some prepared ointments and bandages. "Let's hope not. The commander would be most displeased," she said. Without looking at her patient and the prince, she addressed them. "Behave yourselves. I'll be back soon enough, broken ankle or not." She left, shutting the door firmly behind her.

Inuyasha stood up. "I should go," he said uncomfortably.

Kagome frowned. "Why? I thought you said you saved me because you were bored. What do you have to do now?"

"I…" He stopped and scowled. "Why do I have to explain myself to you?"

"You don't," she admitted. The prince watched as she arranged herself on the cot, burying her body beneath the blankets. "I'll just sleep for awhile, Inuyasha-sama. Thank you for taking care of me."

Her large, brown eyes peered out at him with a naked sadness. He sighed and scratched at his ears. "I helped you because I felt guilty," he muttered. He ignored how she sat up quickly and stared at him. "Dad said that I would feel guilty until I apologized, but I don't apologize! Not to servants!"

Kagome blinked. "That's alright. You don't have to, Inuyasha-sama."

"Don't say that!" he snapped. "I still feel guilty! I tried a lot of other stuff first, like asking the kami for forgiveness and just trying to plain forget that you were around." He stuffed his hands in his pockets and kicked at the ground. "It didn't work."

"So did you help me to make yourself feel better? Or was it your way of apologizing?"

Inuyasha shifted uncomfortably. "Isn't it enough that I feel guilty? You're just a servant!"

Kagome's eyes narrowed in anger. "Just a servant that you think has information about your precious dancing partner! I would think that you should treat me at least as well as your horse!"

"Well, at least the horse has some use to me!"

She began to shake again, but not from the cold. "And obviously, you don't actually want any information from me. You just antagonize me for your own amusement! Why don't you admit that there is more to me than just causing you guilt? Than just being a source of information?"

Inuyasha took a step back, either from surprise of her calculating anger or her brazen accusation. He sneered as he steadied himself. "You're delusional. Wouldn't that be perfect for a little brat like you? You think a prince like me could have any feelings beyond pity and revulsion for a creature like you? I'm no knight in shining armor, little girl. I don't save maidens – virtuous or not – from servitude. So get the idea out of your crazed head!"

"Believe me," spat Kagome, "if ever I entertained the idea of having a prince save me from this hell, it wouldn't be you!"

He laughed, hollow and cruel. "Oh? Who would it be? Koga? He nearly ripped your throat out."

Kagome's eyes pierced him with a look that almost silenced the laugh in his throat. "Then he is a far better choice," she retorted. "At least with him, I would know where I stood."

Inuyasha leapt backwards over the fire in the center of the room and landed before the doors. "I'll find the girl without your help, Thousandfurs. And if you try to stand in my way again, I will have you thrown in the dungeon with the other criminals." He lifted his chin at the shocked expression she gave him and stormed out of the room.

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The king shut his bedroom door and immediately shed his armor with a sigh of relief. "I'm getting old. Those young ones are catching up with me," he said, looking up at his mate, who was standing silently at his window. They had separate apartments, as did all royalty, but Izayoi only used her rooms when her mate was away from home. For his part, the king rather enjoyed her constant companym unlike many of his peers, who complained about it when talking about their own mates.

Izayoi turned her head to look at him with a soft smile. "And how many were you sparring with today, my dear?"

"Seven," said the monarch, returning her smile.

She nodded solemnly. "Ah, only seven? Perhaps you _are_ slowing down in your old age."

The king frowned, despite her gentle teasing. Her scent was dark with concern and sadness. "What's wrong, my mate?"

"I worry for Inuyasha," she replied. "He seems obsessed with that woman he danced with twice, but he cannot show proper respect to even the scullery maid. I worry that he sabotages his own chances with women with his cruelty. How did I raise a son that was even capable of that?"

The sovereign sighed and joined his mate at the window, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her close to his chest. "I realize that his treatment of the servant girl was cruel, but I do not think that our son _is_ a cruel creature. You always call me generous, but I am capable of much worse than throwing a shoe at a girl. Sometimes, my dear, I think that you forget that we are youkai."

Izayoi nodded and leaned into her mate. "Perhaps I do. And perhaps I ask too much of Inuyasha. If Sesshoumaru had done the same, I would not have worried so much, although I would have been surprised by his lack of self-control." She bit her lip. "I know you spoke to him, but maybe I should as well."

"The boy feels guilty enough, Izayoi, without his mother admonishing him," said the king, pressing a kiss on the crown of her head. "Have faith."

A knock separated the pair. The queen went to the door and opened it. "Inuyasha," she said, sounding slightly surprised. The hanyou rarely came to his parents' apartments. She wondered for a moment if he had heard their discussion. "Come in, darling."

Their son stepped into the room, his eyes dark. "I have to talk to you," he said gruffly. "I have a proposal I want you to consider."

His parents exchanged a glance. "We are always happy to listen to your suggestions," said the king, motioning for his mate to close the door. "What do you have in mind?"

Inuyasha's ears flattened against his skull as he kicked at the floor. Izayoi was quite used to this stalling tactic of her son's and waited patiently while the king stared expectantly. "I want you to have another gathering," said the prince finally. "A weekend thing. Another dance."

Izayoi hesitated. "We've barely recovered from New Year's," she said. "And you hate the dances we hold."

"Yeah," he replied, his face flushing scarlet, "but it's the only time I get to see, well, _her_."

The king shifted uncomfortably. "You mean, you want to put your mother through the hell of planning another feast for the sake of seeing a girl that I could easily find if you would just let me? You could see her anytime, without half of the kingdom gawking at you."

Inuyasha let out a defeated breath and then glared down at the floor. "Yeah, but I thought you and Mom would want the opportunity to immediately announce that I've found a mate."

Izayoi let out a little gasp and clutched at her mate's arm. "Inuyasha…" she murmured.

"Are you sure?" said the king, keeping his emotions firmly in check.

The prince nodded. "If you let me see her again, I promise that I'll ask her to become my mate. And if doesn't work…" He paused and scowled. "If it doesn't work, I'll let you pick out a female for me."

Izayoi frowned and stepped towards her son, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Inuyasha… you don't have to do this. We want you to be happy. Mated too, of course… _eventually_… but it doesn't have to be now."

"You were the one telling me just a short time ago that I should ask that girl and that was back when I'd only met her once!" replied the prince hotly.

"Inuyasha," intoned his father, stopping the hanyou's rising temper. "We will support you in this. I think that this girl – whoever she may be – will be an excellent choice. She is royalty, of course?" He grimaced as Izayoi elbowed him in the ribs. "Not that it matters, if you're pleased with the prospect."

"She said that she was worthy of me," said Inuyasha, remembering her words and the soft smile that accompanied it.

"Then I'm sure she is," said Izayoi. She embraced her son, a few tears escaping her eyes. "I'm happy for you."

"Thanks, Mom," he replied, turning red again.

"Izayoi, give the boy some air." The king took a deep breath and gave his son a smile. "I look forward to meeting your future mate, Inuyasha. Any girl that has taken your attention so quickly and so entirely must be a unique creature indeed. Do you think that she would be willing to live in a youkai territory? Does she understand what that means for her own life?"

Inuyasha thought for a moment. "She liked it here. And she liked me, just because I was me, not because I was a prince." He sighed and scratched at the back of his neck as he remembered how their last parting had went. "I just hope it's still true."

"Why shouldn't it be?" said Izayoi, suddenly concerned again.

The prince sighed. "Kikyo interrupted, last time we talked."

The king's eyes widened slightly. "Wonderful. What happened?"

Izayoi held up her hands as Inuyasha's blush returned in full force. "Let's not talk about it. I have a feeling we don't want to know. If our son has confidence in his ability to convince this girl to become his mate, then I will have confidence in him, so let's just stopping nagging him and start to plan this feast." She put her hands on her hips. "We'll have to announce that it's an engagement feast, otherwise no one will come so soon after New Year's."

"Right. Everyone will be interested in who's mating the freak," muttered Inuyasha.

"That's not what I meant. I just-."

"I know," said the prince, cutting off the queen's explanation. "Just… plan it how you want and I'll do my part."

"Alright," said Izayoi softly. "Two weeks?"

Inuyasha nodded. "Two weeks." He nodded at his parents and left.

The king and queen looked at one another. "Maybe we should worry," Izayoi said with a sigh.

"Maybe."

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It was past midnight when Sango burst into Kagome's little cupboard. "Kagome!" she called, falling to her knees and shaking the girl. "Wake up! Come on, wake up!"

"The building better be on fire," muttered the princess as she rolled away from the light streaming through the open door. "What time is it?"

"Late, but you're not going to get sleep anyway!" warned the other girl.

No sooner were the words out of her mouth and youkai started pounding their way up and down the stairs over Kagome's head. She groaned and gave up, pushing herself up to sit on the edge of her cot. "Fine. I'm up. What do you want? What's going on? And why can't this wait until morning?" She rubbed her eyes and stared at the other girl. "I guess your back is feeling better."

"Much," agreed Sango, her fingers twisting together.

Kagome suddenly noticed that, unlike the last time she had been woken up at an ungodly hour, Sango wasn't smiling. Her excitement was a downhearted one, although the voices outside sounded highly entertained. She blinked and nodded at her friend. "Well? Are you going to tell me?" She frowned. "Is it bad news?"

The other servant shrugged. "It depends. Do you love the prince?"

"What?" Kagome pulled away from Sango as much as the cupboard allowed. "What makes you think that? Haven't I told you my answer before?"

"Well, that was awhile ago, before the first feast you spent with us." She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "You've spent more time with the prince lately."

Kagome scoffed and crossed her arms. Although she would have to lie to Sango about her feelings for Inuyasha, she hadn't forgotten – or forgiven – him for being so cruel to her earlier that day. "He brought me to the infirmary when he thought he was in danger of losing the girl who makes his bread soup." She held up a hand and ticked off each encounter with the prince. "He and Koga killed a little girl in front of me. He threw a sandal at me. He made me suffer through another meeting with Kikyo. Should I go on?"

"Okay, okay," Sango said, holding up her hands to stop her. "Then you'll have no problem with the fact that they're holding another feast for him in two weeks."

Her heart leapt into her throat as she thought of her final kimono, the one made of diamonds, that glittered like the stars. She didn't think she would need it so soon! But Kagome trained her features and shrugged. "So? More work for us. Is that why you woke me up in the middle of the night?"

"That's not the news," Sango said, rather exasperated by her friend's grouchy attitude. "They're saying that Inuyasha is going to choose his mate by the end of the feast! We'll have a new princess!"

"Oh." Kagome closed her eyes for a moment. "Does anyone know who it'll be?"

The demon slayer sat back on her heels. "Not really." She pointed to the ceiling, where dust was still raining down on them. "Half of them think that he's going back to Kikyo. The other half thinks that he wants this new girl, the one he's been seen dancing with at the past two feasts."

The princess started to draw in shaky breaths. "Who told you?"

"One of the castle servants. He said that Inuyasha visited his parents in their room – which he never does – and then the queen started giving orders for a feast to be prepared. And she wanted the rooms next to Inuyasha's prepared for a permanent female resident. It wasn't hard to put two and two together." Sango put a hand on her friend's shoulder. "I thought you might want to hear it from me first, instead of in the kitchen. Although, I guess it doesn't matter if you don't love Inuyasha." Her eyes crinkled in concern as Kagome's gaze shifted wildly without seeing anything. "Hey, are you okay?"

Kagome felt her lungs constricting, her heart speeding up to a manic pace and she pitched forward with a wave of vertigo. "I… I can't breathe," she rasped.

Sango's eyes widened and she pulled on her friend's arms, urging her out of the confined space under the stairs. The common area was no better though, as it was clogged with gossiping youkai. They didn't notice as the demon slayer half-dragged, half-carried a hyperventilating scullery maid out the door and into the night snow. Once outside, Sango's strength for Kagome's dead weight gave out and they tumbled into a snowdrift. Icy water slid down Kagome's back and she jolted to life again.

"Thanks," she said, taking long, deep breaths. "I couldn't be in there anymore."

"I got that," panted Sango as she pushed herself to her feet and dusted off the snow. She stared down at the princess, still lying in the snowdrift. "So, you do love him."

With her mental functions returning, the princess decided to give Sango as much truth as she could afford. "Yes, I do," she admitted.

Sango gave her a hand and pulled the princess out of the snow before she caught cold again. "I'm sorry," she said, with all sincerity.

"So am I," said Kagome. She plastered a too-cheery grin on her face. "But hey, I'm the scullery maid. It's not like I thought I had a chance, even if he is a hanyou. I mean, he practically told me so this afternoon when we were in the infirmary."

Sango frowned. "He said what?"

Kagome shook her head. "It doesn't matter." She looped her arm with her friend's. "We'll be lonely together, you know?"

"I can't believe either of us got our hopes up," said the demon slayer softly.

"At least you had hope. I just had… well, nothing. A lot of insults."

They stood in silence for awhile. Kagome thought of all the many moments she had spent with Inuyasha, both as a servant and as a princess. He wanted to marry her! Or at least, half of the palace servants thought so. The others still thought he wanted to marry Kikyo. It was rather amusing, how they had split themselves down the middle. She had a feeling that Inuyasha was divided in his heart too.

Of course, it didn't matter. She couldn't reveal her true identity and risk being sent back to her father – because, what else could the king do when he knew who she was? So she couldn't marry Inuyasha, or mate with him, or anything of the kind. Their stolen kiss in the castle courtyard was as close to romance as she would get, for a long time.

She would go to the ball though. She couldn't deny him that. Even if she didn't love the prince, she would have cared enough to say goodbye, a proper goodbye as princess to prince. She remembered their last meeting and how he had struggled between her and Kikyo, when she had asked him to make his choice. Well, now he could! She would go to the ball, say goodbye and drop the Shikon no Tama into his soup. Then he could become fully human for his first love, for Kikyo. It killed her to think of these plans, but it was what had to be done, to preserve her own identity and therefore, the peace of all the kingdoms.

Who knew? Maybe one day, she would fall in love with a man who she could show her true face to. And just to think of it! He wouldn't care! Or better yet, he wouldn't know who he was looking at. He would never know that their children would carry half of the blood of royalty. And she would never tell him. She wondered if this future husband would be human or demon. Would he take her away from the castle? Let her live as a farmer's wife? Or some other vocation that didn't have her taking beatings from Naraku?

But even as she thought of these things, she put Inuyasha in the place of her future husband, and Kagome knew that she would never be truly happy with another man. She couldn't do that to any male, human or demon. She wouldn't have him trying to live up to the dream of a prince. So she would remain alone and lonely.

"Lonely together," Kagome breathed.

"It won't be so bad if I have you, and Shippo and maybe Kagura," replied Sango, whose thoughts had clearly reached the same conclusion as the princess.

"We should go inside," said Kagome, her vision becoming watery with tears.

Sango nodded. "We need our sleep." She started back towards the quarters and then stopped. "By the way, Naraku has been asking me questions about you."

Kagome's head snapped around to look at her friend. "Questions? What sort of questions?"

"About what I know of your past, especially, although he seems to be interested in your present movements too," she replied, her eyes bright. "He even visited me while I was still recovering from his beating. He asked me a few odd questions about you and the prince too."

"What did you tell him?" she asked.

Sango shook her head. "Not much. How could I? You haven't been very talkative about your past and our trip to the city was fairly uneventful. And I would never have divulged my ideas about your feelings for a prince." She nodded at her friend. "Of course, even if I knew you were spy direct from Nakao kingdom, I wouldn't have told that bastard anything. The king, yes, but Naraku? I almost laughed in his face for asking. I would have if he wasn't carrying that riding crop again." She shuddered, remembering how it had felt falling across her back.

"Thanks for the support," Kagome said with a smile.

"There's no contest between loyalty to you and loyalty to Naraku."

"Has he ever done this sort of thing before? With other new servants?"

"Occasionally," said the taijiya, "which is why I'm telling you about it. If I didn't think it was something to watch out for, I would have just kept quiet. I don't want you to worry yourself, after all. But Naraku has a way of discovering secrets. It's his greatest power over us." She appeared very grave and Kagome knew that she was thinking of her little brother and how Naraku had threatened his life.

Kagura had warned her, hadn't she? She had said as much as Sango did – secrets simply were not kept around Naraku. He always knew. Kagome shuddered, thinking of what a greedy, malevolent creature like the chef could do with her secrets. "Thanks. I'll watch my back," she assured her friend.

"I'll help. It never hurt to have a second set of eyes where Naraku is concerned," replied Sango.

"Let's hope it's not needed," said Kagome somberly, as they headed back inside.

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A/N: I'm not particularly fond of this chapter. It wasn't working for the longest time and I still haven't quite gotten it, but unfortunately for me (and fortunately for all of you) the next chapter was begging to be written and so I've moved on to the 14th installment of this little story. I hope that it will be worth it! Please review, especially if it's to assure me that I'm my own worst critic. Haha. Thanks!


	14. Thousand Stars

Thousandfurs

Chapter 14: Thousand Stars

"This is, without a doubt, your stupidest idea ever."

"You've been saying that for the past two weeks. Besides, you're the one that told me that I had to choose."

Miroku sighed as he glared at the prince. "Are you really that naïve?" he muttered, trying to keep from yelling at his prince. Or from strangling him. "You told me what happened with the girl last time you saw her. What are you going to say? 'Hey, sorry about wanting to pick Kikyo over you. Wanna get hitched?' It's moronic."

Inuyasha shot him a deadly look. "It's not going to be like that."

"Yeah, well, I was cutting out the crying and her yelling at you for being a royal jackass." He tugged at the collar of his robes as they moved down the hallways, wondering why all of his finer robes were so tight around the neck. "The tailors hate me," he groused.

The prince rolled his eyes. "What's wrong with you, pervert? You've been on edge for ages."

"You throw together a feast with major diplomatic implications in less than two weeks and see how you feel," Miroku said with a frown. "And I'm just envisioning the work that will be waiting for me if you screw up tonight."

"Gee, thanks for the support."

The diplomat sighed and rubbed his hand across his face. "I just can't shake the feeling that you're doing this to prove yourself to a scullery maid, that you can find this mystery girl without her help." He ignored Inuyasha's venomous scowl. "You could have just taken your father up on his offer and gotten the palace scouts to find the girl."

Inuyasha's shoulders stiffened as they entered a small, delicately furnished room. "No," he said simply.

"You're a prince. These are the luxuries that are afforded to you," replied Miroku.

"I don't need help finding my mate!" snapped the prince, his eyes sparking with anger.

The king and queen arrived just then, breaking up what was quickly dissolving into a grand row between the two friends. "Are we interrupting?" asked Izayoi mildly. She was accustomed to her son's arguments with her diplomat. "If you want to fight though, I'd rather you go to the dojo. I just finished this room to my liking."

Inuyasha sat down on the mats heavily as Miroku bowed to the monarchs. "We're fine. What're you doing here?" asked her son.

"We thought we would join you boys for breakfast," she replied, gracefully taking her seat at the small table.

Miroku waited until the king had taken his place as well before seating himself at the other end of the table. They were served in silence, waiting until the last attendant left them in peace. The king looked at the diplomat expectantly. "I was just telling the prince that I thought this feast was… an unwise idea," he explained slowly. "Your Majesties, I don't know if Inuyasha is going to secure the hand of this young woman."

Inuyasha made a violent movement, but was stilled by his mother's hand. The king sighed and pushed around the food on his plate. "If Inuyasha fails tonight, he knows the consequence. We have already found a suitable mate, if anything goes wrong. I sincerely hope it does not."

"What?" choked the prince. "Already? Who?"

"Ayame," said his mother softly. "One of the princesses of the wolf tribe."

Miroku frowned as Inuyasha's eyes bugged. "I thought she was betrothed to Koga-sama, Your Majesty."

"She was," admitted Izayoi. "Apparently, Koga has refused their betrothal. He told Ayame's father that he had found another female. He was quite insulting about it, if I understand correctly. Said something about his new love at least having a kingdom and not being vagrant royalty."

Inuyasha's chest rumbled with a growl. "It's her. Koga is after her too!" he yelled, slamming his hand down on the table.

The king caught his cup before it spilled onto his lap. "That's not good news," he said, "but must you shake the table like that?"

"And who does the girl prefer?" asked Izayoi, ignoring her mate.

Inuyasha opened his mouth and then looked at Miroku, who answered for him. "The girl clearly preferred Inuyasha, Your Majesty," said the diplomat. "I'm just unsure if she still cares for him after what happened. But I suppose that's the question on all of our minds today."

"Well, all lovers have their quarrels," said the queen. "I'm sure she will forgive Inuyasha for whatever he did or said."

"Or at least have the grace to not mention any of it in front of the other guests," added Miroku.

There was a soft knock on the door and a servant announced the arrival of 'King Sesshoumaru and family'. Inuyasha's ears drooped as his elder sibling stepped through the doorway. "Oy, why does he have to be here? Can't he eat breakfast in his own room?"

"Inuyasha," warned the queen. "He's your brother!"

"Exactly," grumbled the prince as his parents greeted Sesshoumaru and his companions. A new table was brought in before he noticed that the 'family' part had extended from two to three. "Hey, that's that little girl!"

Sesshoumaru raised a delicate eyebrow as Yuki and Haruko found their seats. The little girl that Koga had slaughtered at the shrine a couple weeks beforehand was standing at the younger king's elbow. "Her name is Rin," he said simply before pointing her towards her seat and sitting down himself.

'Rin' had cleaned up quite a bit since Inuyasha and Miroku had last seen her. She still wore a lopsided ponytail, but her vivid orange and white kimono was quite complimentary to her dark hair and eyes. When she smiled at the prince, she showed off that she was missing a front tooth. "You kept her around?" asked Inuyasha incredulously.

Yuki and Haruko smiled as Sesshoumaru nodded solemnly. "She is agreeable enough for a human," he replied.

"But she's human!"

The king threw a look of disdain towards his little brother. "Not for long," he said.

"But she isn't _really_ a princess either, is she?" asked Inuyasha as he tilted his head towards the little girl. "Does she even talk?"

"No, Rin is not a princess," Rin giggled. "But Rin can talk!"

Sesshoumaru lifted his chin. "'Your Highness'," he reminded her. "As much as I detest the fact, my brother is still a prince and heir to my father's throne, Rin."

The small girl nodded, not at all cowed by the imposing look of the taiyoukai, which would have sent armies running in the other direction. "Yes, Sesshoumaru-sama!"

"So have you adopted her then?" asked Izayoi gently, waving at Rin.

Yuki smiled at her mother-in-law as Sesshoumaru frowned. "We're considering it." She ruffled her son's ice-blue hair. "Haruko likes having another child his age to play with around the castle. And she's hardly any trouble at all, considering she takes Sesshoumaru's orders so very much to heart."

Izayoi smiled brilliantly. "Another grandchild. How wonderful. We should go for a ride this afternoon, Yuki, with the children. I can't bear to be in the castle right before a feast."

"Why is that?" asked the younger queen.

"Because Naraku pesters her so much," laughed the king, patting his mate's hand as she blushed.

"My mate…" she began.

The king shrugged. "It's true. He's a nightmare to deal with sometimes. Makes superb bread soup though, I must say."

"Not the best," muttered Inuyasha.

Everyone looked at him. "What was that, son?" asked the king, leaning forward.

Inuyasha flushed scarlet. "Nothing!" He looked at Miroku and nodded at him. "Come on, if they're going for a ride this afternoon, we should get one in now."

Miroku glanced down at his plate, still half covered with his delicious breakfast, and sighed. "Sure," he said, as the prince looked at him meaningfully. He got up and bowed to the royalty still seated. "Good day, Your Majesties, Your Highness, Lady Rin. I will see all of you tonight at the feast."

"Thanks," said the prince, once they were out and down the hall.

"Hm. You owe me breakfast," said the diplomat, placing a hand over his grumbling belly.

Inuyasha scowled. "Then go get another at the kitchen! I have to go."

"Wait, what?" Miroku stopped in the middle of the corridor. "I thought we were going for a ride."

"Geez, pervert. Couldn't you tell that was just a way out before they started asking questions?"

"What? Questions about how a scullery maid makes better bread soup than the head chef?" asked the diplomat. "Yeah, I can see how that might really be embarrassing for you. And to think, I thought you just wanted to get away from the topic of tonight's feast and what happens if you don't get your girl."

Inuyasha paled. "Oy, how am I going to get out of becoming Ayame's mate if something goes wrong tonight?"

"You don't," said the diplomat with a shrug. He was still a bit bitter about the lost breakfast. "It was your agreement with the king – mate with this girl or he chooses one for you."

"Well… I mean…" He glowered and kicked at the floor. "Damn it."

"I'm sorry," said Miroku sincerely. "Let's just hope that you have success tonight."

Inuyasha's ears drooped against his head. "Yeah… let's hope. I think I'm going to go for a ride."

"Right," replied the diplomat, recognizing the prince's desire to be alone for awhile. "I think I'll go to the kitchen and see if I can't find some leftovers."

The prince nodded and turned away as Miroku headed towards the back of the castle. He worried about what would happen tonight, of course, but first, he would eat something. Inuyasha wouldn't let him help anyway – it had taken the diplomat almost three days to get a clear picture of what had happened with the mystery girl last time. Inuyasha was a difficult person to deal with, having both a youkai's pride and a human's blind stubbornness. He wondered if he would become that difficult as time passed and he became a demon.

It was a quick trip to the kitchen. It hadn't snowed in several days and it was even sunny. Spring was arriving and none too soon, in Miroku's opinion. Coming from the northern kingdoms, the diplomat had seen enough snow to last a lifetime.

The kitchen door was open when he arrived, with youkai running in and out, all with the same wide-eyed look of fright and urgency. Miroku smiled and waited patiently for a pause in the constant stream when he noticed a familiar figure coming back from the well. Lithe and strong, it had to be Sango. Suddenly, he wasn't very hungry for food.

She came closer, slowing down considerably when she spotted him standing outside the door. Curtseying with her buckets still in her hands, she stared over his shoulder as she addressed him. "Lord Miroku, can we help you?"

"Ah, I was just, ah…" He cleared his throat loudly and smiled shakily. "I was coming to see if you had any leftovers from breakfast. Inuyasha dragged me away from mine before I could finish, and it was quite good."

"Naraku would be pleased to hear that," she replied softly, still not looking directly at him. "There are no leftovers though. The pigs got them almost immediately. We had to start on the feast after all."

Miroku nodded. "Of course. Forgive my foolishness."

Sango made a little sigh of exertion as she shifted the heavy buckets in her hands. "Nothing to forgive, my lord." She moved as if to join the stream of youkai going into the kitchen and then sighed again, looking at him for the first time. "It's a long time until dinner, my lord. Would you like to come inside? I'll try to find you something to eat."

He almost smiled. He almost took her up on her offer. He almost declared his undying love for her, right there in the snow while a dozen demons could have listened in. But instead, he stepped back and shook his head. "No, you have work to do. I've kept you long enough," he said, looking down on the ground. "I wouldn't want to steal you away from the others."

"I would."

It was a whisper, so faint that he thought he might have imagined it. When he looked up, she was going back inside, her cheeks glistening with her tears. His heart clenched and suddenly, he realized that he could have been wrong. He could have misheard that conversation in the market. He was far away and it had been noisy. Kami, help him, he could have wasted all these days that he could have spent with her!

Miroku bound into the kitchen, barely avoiding knocking over several heavily laden youkai. "Oh, don't let me be wrong about this," he muttered to himself, once he saw how packed the building was. What humiliation if she was in love with that other man!

"Lord Miroku!" Naraku had spotted him and was coming over, suspicion flaming in his eyes. "What can we do for you?"

The diplomat shoved down the disgust the youkai's presence created in him. "Nothing. I just want to talk to Sango."

The cook lifted an eyebrow. "With all due respect, my lord, she's working and I need everyone at the moment. Perhaps I could help you instead?"

Miroku took note of the way Naraku's hands were twisting nervously. "No, you really can't. I must talk to Sango."

"Very well," simpered Naraku. "Sango!"

The girl came over, her eyes widening when she saw that Miroku was still there. "Yes, Naraku-san?" she asked.

"Go with Lord Miroku. He has to talk to you."

Sango nodded and left, trailing behind the silent diplomat. Instead of stopping outside of the kitchen, as she expected, they continued walking towards the back of the gardens. When they passed the well, Sango hurried to catch up with him. "Lord Miroku? Where are we going?"

He ignored her inquiry, but slowed down a bit, so that she could walk alongside him. "Sango, may I ask a couple personal questions?"

She frowned for a moment, but nodded. "I suppose so."

"Who is Kuranosuke-san?"

The demon slayer stopped dead and stared at her companion with wide eyes. "How do you know that name?" she asked, her voice quivering.

Miroku blushed and rubbed at the back of his neck. "I… I overheard you in the market one day, a couple months ago. You were talking about him and how you were meant to marry him in your old village. He took care of you and your brother."

Sango nodded, remembering the conversation clearly. "So, you actually know who he is," she replied, her eyes narrowing.

"I just wanted to know," he said, trying to take deep breaths, "if you love him."

"If… if I what?"

He lowered his eyes. "If you love him. I heard you say you love him. Or, at least that's what I thought, until a few moments ago."

She took a few steps back as the enormity of the situation hit her heart. _That_ was why he had been ignoring her for so long? She could have killed him right there for being such a… such a… _man_, she thought vehemently. "I don't see how it's any business of yours, my lord!" she snapped. "You were eavesdropping! You based everything off a conversation that you clearly could not even hear well, because if you had, you would know the answer to that question!"

Miroku's heart began to ache as he dropped to his knees, capturing Sango's hands before she had the opportunity to storm away. "Please, my dearest Sango, I have to know. It was wrong of me to listen in on your conversation, but I could not pursue you if you love another! I could not have you settle for anything less than what you most desired!"

His words gave her pause, but she was too angry to heed them for long. "You made me believe that you didn't care for me anymore!" she seethed at him. "I cried for you! You and that stupid note you wrote! I thought you had abandoned me! Do you know what that did to my heart?"

He pulled her closer, wrapping his arms around her waist and placing his head against her abdomen. His knees were beginning to freeze from being on the ground, but he barely felt it. He only could hang on to the slip of hope left. "Please, Sango, forgive me for what I have done. I too was hurt, believing that you gave me your attention while loving another man." He held on tighter as she pushed at his shoulders and looked up at her. "I know that's no excuse! I caused you pain and I could kill myself for it. But please, forgive me or I may die anyway, because I haven't really been alive since I thought that I would have to be without you."

"Miroku…" Sango sighed and looked away, her sharp anger evaporating. "You should have asked me ages ago. You wasted so much time!"

The diplomat got to his feet to face her. "But we have all the time in the world, my lovely Sango!" he replied, smiling at how she wasn't fighting anymore. His hands skimmed up her arms to cradle her head as she looked at him. "We're becoming youkai and there is no one else I would rather spend that eternity with, than you!"

Her eyes widened a bit, but she pulled back. "It'll never work. You're a lord and I'm a servant! You barely know me!"

"Like I said, we have an eternity," he replied, smiling. He turned serious and pulled her back into a tight embrace, his lips against her ear. "And if I know nothing else, I know I love you."

Sango gasped and tears sprang to her eyes. "How?" she whispered, more to herself than Miroku.

He answered her anyway. "I think from the moment you slapped me that first night I met you, remember?"

The demon slayer blushed and laughed under her breath. "You tried to grope me." She moved out of his embrace quickly. "And you just tried to do it again!" she accused. "You should be thankful if I don't slap you again!"

He grinned at her. "From you, dearest Sango, it would be a blessing."

She blushed again and then gave him a careful look. "You're always groping or flirting or asking some female to bear your children."

"Are you mad that I haven't asked you yet?" he questioned, still smiling.

"No!" She paused and frowned. "But you're going to keep doing that, aren't you? You told me yourself that first night we met that you can't help yourself!"

Miroku stopped smiling and came close to her again. "I can't help myself, no, but I think I may improve rapidly in time, if I have such a woman as you. How could I think of anyone else when I have you, after all?" He didn't wait for an answer as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her to his chest. "And I never asked you to bear my children… because I knew that when I asked you, it'd be the last time I ever asked anyone. Even if you said no, I would swear myself to celibacy. So think carefully, my love. Will you bear my children, Sango?"

She smiled softly and looked up at him. "Well, how could I banish you to a life of celibacy?" she asked. "I will bear your children, Miroku."

His eyes widened and he began to rain kisses down on her, finally pressing his lips to hers. "I love you," he kept whispering.

"I love you too," she replied, earning herself a deep kiss from the diplomat. When they finally parted, she was flushed and feeling deliciously weak. "Does this mean we're getting married?" she asked.

"I suppose so," he replied with a smile. "It would be improper for a lord and lady to be unwed with children."

Her breath caught in her throat. "Lady?" she choked.

"Of course. Did you think I would let you continue to work in that kitchen? I think that something more suited to your previous talents is in order. Perhaps you would like to join the scouts or palace guard? I don't know where you would place a former demon slayer in a demon army. Perhaps the king will have some ideas," he said, appearing thoughtful.

Sango grinned, still unable to get over his carefree announcement. "You mean, no dealing with Naraku, ever again?" she asked. "Just so I'm clear on this."

He smiled at her. "Never again. And I hope you will have the courage to tell the king about his behavior, so none of the staff will have to suffer with him any longer either."

"Of course I will," she replied firmly, remembering the beating she had taken a few weeks before. She closed her eyes and hugged him. "A lady!"

"What did you think I would do? That I would send you out into the city with no title and no means of making a living?" he asked, laughing.

"Well, I'm not sure fighting is a proper job for the wife of a diplomat either," she said, her eyes sparkling at the mention of 'wife'.

He leaned into her, burying his nose into her silky hair. "As if my Sango would ever be able to just lie around, doing nothing all day."

"I could give it a try," she replied, "for a few days at least."

Miroku laughed again and kissed her. "Of course. Well, I guess Naraku is out of a servant permanently then. Come, my love. Let's talk to the king and see about getting you suitable clothes to wear for tonight's feast."

Sango almost fainted, saved by her love's tight hold on her. "The king? And I'm going to the feast?" she repeated. "You're going to spoil me."

"That's my goal," he said, winking at her. "Come on, we have a lot to do, my dearest." He began walking with his arm firmly secured around her waist. She was almost glowing with happiness in his embrace. He couldn't help himself from leaning over to whisper some of his other plans in her ear.

Sango couldn't stop blushing all the way to the castle.

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Kagome watched as the kitchen grew darker with the setting sun. Where had Sango gone? She had left hours and hours ago and there was no word of her return. Kagome hoped that something hadn't happened, but of course, no one would tell her why the other girl had left in the first place. No one was really that interested and she hadn't had the chance to ask Kagura, who seemed to be having a constant tiff with Naraku.

She felt Sango's absence even more keenly due to the fact that she had to pick up all the slack. Kagome despaired of ever being able to escape to see Inuyasha. What would happen if the girl he were throwing the feast for never showed up? She couldn't bear to think of the humiliation he would endure. But Naraku seemed to be bent on giving her more tasks than even Sango dealt with, and he watched her carefully. It brought coldness to Kagome's heart as she remembered her friend's warnings – could he know of her secret? He was at least suspicious.

She began to sweat when the servants started putting aside finished dishes of food. The dance was almost over, she realized. The feast would begin and Inuyasha would be alone. Her heart beat quickly with the realization that she might not be able to say goodbye, that her final action towards the prince would be cruelly embarrassing him.

Standing up, she went over to Kagura, who was huffing over the kitchen accounts as usual. "Kagura?" she whispered, trying not to gain Naraku's attention as well. "May I… may I go to the infirmary?"

The red-eyed demoness swept her with a gaze and sniffed the air. "I don't see anything wrong with you," she said, putting down her ledger. "Are you trying to escape preparing for a feast again, Kagome? That will be the third time in a row."

"But last time…"

"Last time, you were lucky and the palace guards backed up your story. But I think we both know that you weren't helping the bakers." She eyed Naraku, who was yelling at a servant across the room. "He _knows_," she whispered.

"What?" The breath left her lungs and she leaned against the counter.

Kagura's eyes narrowed. "Whatever your secret is, he knows and you're in danger. He was practically giggling today."

Kagome took a few deep breaths. "You have to help me. Just get me out of the kitchen."

The wind witch straightened her back and spoke in her normal tone. "Get back to work!" she snapped. "You still have several things to scrub down and I know that Naraku will want to see them sparkling by the night's end."

The princess turned around to see the chef standing a few feet away with a catlike grin on his face. "Best be listening to Kagura, Thousandfurs," he sneered. "You keep your ass in this kitchen, even if the world's end comes tonight. I still want you cleaning this place from top to bottom. No _dancing_ about the corners of the castle tonight!"

Kagome felt as if she had been hit. He did know! How? She went back to her customary stool and sat dejectedly. She should have been more careful! He had noticed something that she hadn't thought to take care of. Damn youkai senses!

The door opened wide and the servants covered their work from the harsh wind that flowed in. Kagome looked up but couldn't see anyone until a familiar voice piped up. "Naraku-san! I have a message from the king!"

"Why would they send you, you little runt?" he growled, turning back to his work.

"The king invited me to watch the dance, considering how well I know His Highness. And all of the page boys are busy." There was a flurry of movement and Shippo bounced up on one of the tables. A nearby servant grumbled and moved his dish away from the furry demon. "The king wants to see Kagome."

Naraku whipped back around and glared at the little fox, who admirably did not flinch. "What the preoccupation of the royal court with my human servants today, fox?"

Shippo shrugged. "All I was told was that the king wanted to see Kagome."

"There's a feast going on. It can wait."

The fox kit looked at the chef carefully. "Do you really want me to go back and tell the king that you have refused his direct order?" he asked seriously.

Naraku's upper lip twitched. "How do I know the king really wants her? Odd timing, and besides, you're the brat's friend. She's escaped from feast preparations twice now and I won't allow it a third time!"

Shippo nodded solemnly. "Thought you might have that objection," he said. He dug into his pocket and brought out a heavy signet ring. "I have the king's seal though. Isn't that enough for even you, Naraku?"

The chef blanched at the sight of the ring. "Fine!" he snapped. "Thousandfurs, get to the king! And I fully expect you back to prepare the prince's soup!"

Kagome slowly stood up after looking at Shippo, who grinned and nodded at her. What was going on? Did the king know too? Did everyone know her secret? She made her way across the kitchen with the eyes of the staff firmly fixed upon her. "Alright," she said to the fox kit. "Lead the way."

They left the kitchen in silence and walked down the path towards the castle slowly. Once out of hearing range, Shippo turned to Kagome. "Okay, you can go now! Get your last kimono and go to the dance!"

"What?" Kagome stared at him. "So the king doesn't want me?"

"Well yeah! Of course! He wants you as a princess to show up and take some of the pressure off! Inuyasha's going about crazy in there, you know!" he said, smiling. "Come on, you have to go!"

Kagome turned and went towards the servants' quarters. "But how did you get the king's seal?"

Shippo blushed as he ran alongside her. "I took it from his desk. He has two. One is for Inuyasha actually, but the prince never wears it."

"Shippo! What if Naraku finds out? He'll kill us!"

The fox kit grinned. "No, he won't. Naraku's time is over."

"What do you mean?"

He looked as if he were about to burst. "I can't tell you yet!" he blurted. "You'll see! Just hurry! I'll keep watch!" He pushed her into the building and shut the door between them.

Kagome stumbled into the common room and, after a cursory glance around, stripped off her fur cloak and tossed it into her cupboard. She scrubbed herself clean of the soot so that her skin was clean and reddened from the force she used. Satisfactorily clean, she slipped into her diamond kimono, tied her obi and put up her hair in record time. "Shippo?" she asked, coming close to the door.

"All clear," he chirped, as the door opened. "I can't believe you're already…" He looked at her and fell silent, if only for a moment. "Wow, Kagome! You look beautiful! Inuyasha's going to just die when he sees you."

"I hope not," she said, nervously smoothing the fabric as they walked back towards the palace. "Shippo, thank you for the help tonight, but I think you should realize that tonight is the last night I'll ever be a princess. I'm going to say goodbye to Inuyasha and never see him again, not like this."

The little fox frowned and nodded. "I figured. I know you can't tell him who you are, Kagome. I was sad about that for awhile, but I understand. You gotta protect yourself. And Inuyasha for that matter!"

Kagome smiled at him. "Thank you," she whispered as they came to the back door. "Now, were you actually invited to the feast? Or did you steal an invitation too?"

"I was invited!" he said, rather indignant.

"Oh, alright," she laughed. "Then I suppose you better go first. We can't go in together or Inuyasha will know something's up."

"Right. Good luck, Kagome!" He opened the door and scampered down the halls as quickly as possible.

Kagome followed much more slowly, her feet growing heavier with every step. Kami help her, she wasn't sure if she could go through with this! Even if it _were_ Kikyo that he wanted to ask, it would be almost too painful for her to bear to say goodbye to him.

She sighed. At least once he had received the second half of the Shikon no Tama, he could choose his future as human or demon. He could be with Kikyo, and maybe the cold-hearted princess would actually love him in return once he was fully human. Kagome didn't really understand how Inuyasha could bear to be treated so poorly for something he couldn't (yet) control, but then, wasn't that a sign of how necessary this goodbye was? She didn't know him well enough to risk all of their lives. Yes, a goodbye, short and final, would be the best.

The sound of music came to her ears and she saw the open doors of the hall, filled with dancing youkai and laughing attendants. Inuyasha was somewhere in there, she realized. And he was probably beginning to worry that she would never arrive. The king and queen would worry too. Damning her previous hesitance, she took a deep breath and walked in.

Expectedly, most of the room fell quiet when they spotted her. She smiled graciously and moved around the perimeter, watching for the red of Inuyasha's clothes. She was deeply aware that despite the festive colors of the other guests' attire, she was easily spotted in her glittering kimono. Every eye was on her, mostly in envy and contempt (although there was a lovely girl in pink who stared at her with what could only be described as intense admiration). It would only get worse when she joined Inuyasha, she knew, but she ached to see him.

Finally, he was there, the crowd parting before him without command. He was standing at the bottom of the simple dais where the king and queen were seated. Both of the monarchs had their eyes upon her as well, looking serious but not displeased. The queen's mouth was open a little as she took in the princess's extravagant kimono.

Inuyasha approached her and offered his hand. "You came."

"You sound surprised every time I show up," she replied smiling, placing her hand in his. "You knew I would be here though."

"Well, you're later than usual," he said, sweeping her into the brisk dance going on in the center of the room. He held on tightly and focused on her brown eyes. "I was wondering if tonight was the one time you weren't going to show up."

Kagome's eyes fell away from his as she tried to bolster her resolve. "I can't stay for long."

He tilted his head. "What do you mean? You always run off like that! But not tonight!"

"I have to. Soon, I have to go."

His arms stiffened around her and she shifted her hurt, concerned gaze up to his. "Don't," he replied softly. "No matter what, tonight you have to stay here with me."

Her tenacity was flagging already, she realized, biting back the desire to sigh in defeat and admit everything. Fighting it, Kagome reminded herself of how horrible he had been to her when she was a servant – the insults, the extra work, and the 'shoe incident'. Armed with these memories, she looked back up at him with steely eyes. "We'll see," she said finally, her lips drawn in a tight line.

The prince leaned in close to her ear. "I have something to ask you."

She could feel the heat of his blush, although she couldn't see his face any longer. "Not now!" she whispered, almost harshly.

He nodded, misunderstanding. "Yeah. I don't even know your name after all!"

"You can't know it," she replied, her eyes closing. "Please, Inuyasha. Don't ask me."

He pulled away and looked at her with his sharp, golden eyes. "Why not? You're here, at the ball that everyone knows is for my announcement of my mate. Didn't you know that I would be asking you?" His eyebrows knitted together. "Is it because I'm a half-breed?"

Kagome gasped. "No! Never. I thought I made that clear to you last time!" She bit her lip, letting the presence of Kikyo hang in between them for a moment. "You're not a half-breed. You're not a prince. You're just Inuyasha."

"That's why I want you!" he replied hotly.

"But it's exactly why I can't have you," she said, shaking her head slowly. "I didn't come because this was your engagement feast. I came to say goodbye. You are just Inuyasha to me, but I can't be what you want in return. What you see before you is not all that I am."

He closed his eyes briefly. "I don't care. I know I don't know you completely. I want to find out though."

Kagome sighed and looked away. She could see that many of the youkai could sense the tension and distress between the two of them. Some of them were smiling, but most were shaking their heads in pity. "But you never can. It was wrong for me to come to that first dance. I thought I belonged here, I thought that I was worthy of you, but the truth is that I don't belong in this world anymore. Not with things the way they are."

"I don't understand," he growled, finally getting past the shock of rejection.

She put her hands to his face. "I know. I wish I could tell you, but I cannot, for our own protection. Both yours and mine. I wish that I could say 'yes' with all my heart, but my heart isn't really mine to give anymore. Part of it is still in the past and it will remain there for a long time, I'm afraid. And that's not fair to you," she said, lowering her hands and her eyes. She knew she was being cryptic. She was having trouble finding the words, but how could she explain everything without explaining _everything_? Kagome embraced him and put her head on his shoulder. "Please, can we just dance?"

He growled again but pulled her closer, his long silver hair tickling her nose. They ignored everyone and closed their eyes, dancing without seeing where they were going. Kagome could hear his heartbeat, steady and slow, and hoped that she hadn't broken it. She could feel her own breaking within her chest, but she had known that consequence when she had come to the dance.

Time flowed on and on as the pair danced and it was only when her feet began to hurt that Kagome lifted her head. Everyone was still staring at them, but she looked to her night's companion. "How long have we been dancing?" she asked softly.

"A long time," he said, the corners of his lips turning down. "The feast will probably go cold."

She pulled away, jerking out of his arms with force. "I have to go!" she said. Tears came to her eyes. "I didn't want our goodbye to be this way."

"Please, stay," he replied, catching hold of her hand.

"No," she said, firmly removing his grip.

He frowned and turned his head away. "Fine. Go find Thousandfurs then and have her help you escape again. Tell her I want my soup early tonight." He waved his hand at her, trying to dismiss Kagome.

The princess's jaw stiffened. "This isn't the way to do this!" she protested.

"I don't want to say goodbye," he replied viciously, turning back to look at her with cold golden eyes that reminded her of his brother. "Stay here!"

"I am not yours to command," she replied softly. "Not tonight."

Before he could protest again, she reached up and pressed her lips against his in a needy, passionate, and painfully brief kiss. He tried to catch her again around the shoulders, but she moved away before he could hold her there. "I'm so sorry," she said. "Goodbye, Your Highness."

She fled, pushing her way through the crowd until she escaped to the hallway. The guards appeared surprised, but did not pursue her as she ran down the corridors. She had stayed very late. There were few servants in the hallways, meaning that they had gone to turn their masters' beds down and start the evening fires. If everyone hadn't been so mesmerized by her dance with Inuyasha, dinner would have been half over by now. Naraku would be furious.

Shippo was waiting for her at her bedroom door with a deep frown. "Kagura is looking for you!" he said. "She said she would give you fifteen more minutes before she allowed Naraku to come for you, and that was twenty minutes ago!"

"I… I couldn't leave," she replied, taking her hair down with such speed that she ripped several hairs out from the root.

"I know. But still… Oh, never mind that!" he cried, as she put her hands back to untie her obi. "Just throw on the cloak. Get out of the kimono when you go to bed. You only have to make the prince's soup, right? Just make sure Naraku doesn't see it glittering!"

Kagome realized he was right and dove for the fire pit in the middle of the common room, rubbing the ashes all over her arms. As she moved to her neck and face, her fingers found a new object, one that hadn't been there before. "Shippo! Shippo! What is this?"

The fox kit popped up onto her shoulder and inspected the heavy necklace she had around her throat. It appeared primitive, with large black beads and small fangs alternating all the way around it. "I don't know," he admitted, still frantic. "It's laced with magic though! Not demon either. Smells like miko magic."

The princess finally realized what Inuyasha had been doing when she thought he had been trying to hold onto her goodbye kiss. "He put it on me!" she cried. She tugged on it, clawed at the tie in the back. "It won't come off! What the hell is wrong with this thing?"

"I don't think it's meant to come off," he said, leaning closer. "Never mind though! You have to get to the kitchen before Naraku comes!"

Realizing the more imminent threat was the chef and not a thus-far harmless necklace, Kagome rubbed the soot on the rest of her skin and threw the cloak over her shoulders, firmly securing it before running across to the kitchen. She held her half of the broken Shikon no Tama in her fist, rubbing her fingers over the rough edge as she concentrated on her night's goal.

"Thousandfurs!" bellowed Naraku, as soon as she arrived.

Kagome sighed underneath her breath and turned to curtsey for the chef. "Yes, Naraku-san?"

"What did the king have to say to you?" he demanded, advancing upon her.

The princess stood her ground. She was getting sick of this ridiculous, pompous youkai who had nothing better to do than to terrorize the servants in his employ! She was sick of having to explain herself to him! All the emotional turmoil of the evening came forward in full force, knocking all sense and logic out of her head. "That's no business of yours!" she snapped. "It's between me and the royal family! If you would excuse me, I have to make His Highness's evening soup, or would you like to impede upon that royal order as well?"

The kitchen was silent, all of the servants staring at the furry, dirty little creature that had only crossed their doorstep for the first time a few months ago. Many of the most weathered, aged workers wouldn't have dared to say half of those words, half as harshly! Naraku wouldn't stand for it, would he? Many of them shook their heads, telling themselves that the little human girl was dead. Too bad, they thought. She was beginning to actually take her fair share of the workload around the kitchen.

But even as they watched in silence, Kagome turned her back on the chef and marched over to pick out her ingredients, picking the finest that she could find, as if a dangerous youkai wasn't severely angry with her and standing a few yards away. She perused the knives, picking the sharpest and began her work. The rest of the staff watched.

It was five whole minutes before he exploded. He ranted and screamed and threatened to beat her within an inch of her life. Kagura had to hold him back as he brandished his favorite riding crop. Kagome ignored him, for the most part.

A terrifying silence settled again, as he stared at her from where Kagura was trying to explain how angry Inuyasha would be if his soup was late. He didn't listen to her words, but dropped the riding crop before walking up to the girl, who was patiently stirring her concoction. "Thousandfurs," he intoned, "you will pay for this dearly."

"I know," she said softly. She locked eyes with him for a brief moment. "You'll beat me until I stop breathing."

"You'll be lucky if I stop that soon," he snarled. "I would take your time with that soup, because as soon as it's gone, you're mine."

Kagura wandered up to the pair as they glared at one another. "_Perhaps_ it would be prudent to rethink that plan, Naraku," she whispered, although Kagome could clearly hear her. "After all, there are certain parties that would not be too pleased with the girl's death."

Naraku's eyes widened for a brief moment. "Of course. How forgetful I am. Thousandfurs, I am happy to tell you that I will not be dealing with your punishment tonight," he said.

Kagome didn't feel pleased at all with this announcement as she considered the malevolent smirk on his face. "Then who will it be instead?" she asked simply, knowing that he only had something more tortuous in mind.

Naraku just laughed and strolled out of the kitchen. "Keep an eye on her, Kagura!" he yelled back over his shoulder, as the door slammed shut.

"You mad little fool," snapped the wind witch. "You just sealed your own fate!"

"You've been telling me that for ages," sighed the princess. Her anger was spent, and only resignation remained.

"I _told_ you. I told you! He knows your secret," she hissed. "And right now, he's out there telling someone else how to find the girl that the entire Nakao kingdom is looking for."

Kagome lowered her eyes. She had forgotten that Naraku had somehow figured out her secret. In the tumult of the evening's events, she _had_ become a 'mad little fool'. Even so, she would not be diverted from her evening's plans. If she would not survive, then Inuyasha's heart would. She ladled out the soup into a large bowl and dropped in the broken half of the Shikon no Tama, right in front of Kagura's eyes.

"Is that…?"

"Yes," said the princes. "Its power is long dead, but maybe if he puts it back together with its' other half, it'll be restored. That's what the stories say." She looked at the wind witch and placed the bowl into her hands. "Please, will you take it to him personally? I promise that I won't run away."

Kagura nodded mutely and went to put the soup on a tray along with a pot of tea. She stopped by the girl again on her way out. "You should run, you know."

"If they know where I am, nothing will stop a Nakao spy from hunting me down," she replied.

"It sounds like you've lost the will to live, Kagome."

The princess shrugged. "I hope not. But I'm not running again. I was prepared to take death before submitting to my father long ago, before I was convinced to run away. And look what it got me – a few months' borrowed time in the kitchen of a tyrant chef." She smiled at her friend. "I'll be alright. Even if it's not physically."

Kagura sighed softly and looked down at the soup in her hands. She imagined she could see the pink glow of the Shikon no Tama at the bottom, although it was far too opaque for that. "Why are you trusting me with this?" she asked.

"Because you're one of the few people that knows the truth now and if I can't trust the people who know the truth, then I really am doomed," she replied.

The wind witch smiled one of her rare smiles at the servant girl, who was losing everything in a blink of an eye. She didn't know the whole truth, she realized. Even Naraku, who prided himself on knowing everything about his servants, could not have fully conceived of the truth that lay in this dirty little servant that was called 'Thousandfurs'. "He'll get it," she vowed.

"I know," Kagome said, her faith in Kagura complete.

"He'll call you to see him again," she observed. "What will you say to him?"

The princess sighed and lowered her eyes. "Apparently, I will have to say goodbye. Again."

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A/N: Whew! Long chapter. I know that Kagome's emotions are a bit confusing towards the end but it's totally not because I'm writing at 2 am… Haha. Actually, I just imagined that she was going through about a million emotions a minute after rejecting the guy she loved for the sake of his kingdom. How heroic! Sigh… Anyway, please read and review!

Oh, and a warning – the next chapter(s) may be very spaced out. I'm getting married in less than a week and then the honeymoon, and then of course, the all-exciting move to Waco, Texas. No, I'm not going by my own choice to the town whose claim to fame was a FBI shootout with a madman. The law school is beautiful though. Okay, enough babbling. Just be a bit more patient than normal and you'll get your updates!


	15. Unravel

A/N: Thanks, everyone, for your patience this past month and for all of your support. The wedding went very well, as did the honeymoon. Jon and I are still in a state of flux though – law schools aren't being the most amiable of creatures at the moment. I still plan to finish this story before the summer ends, but keep that patient attitude around – you may need it! Thanks again and here's your chapter.

Thousandfurs

Chapter 15: Unravel

Kagome sat for a long time, waiting for Kagura to return. She had promised the wind witch to stay, and stay she would. She had helped the other servants clean up the post-feast mess, and now that that was done with, they all hung around in the kitchen. On feast days, Naraku's permission was required before anyone could leave.

The tyrannical chef hadn't returned either, but Kagome was certain that was still enjoying his moments with the Nakao spy, telling him about Kagome's movements with relish. She wondered if they would laugh when Naraku told the spy about her hopes of being with Inuyasha. That would be highly amusing to anyone from her kingdom, after all.

Or perhaps, Naraku had given his report to the spy and then went to tell the king and queen. Then they wouldn't be able to stop the spy from dragging her home, by her hair if need be. Kagome wondered if he was allowed to kill her on the spot.

The other youkai in the room whispered, theorizing about why the human girl with the fur cloak didn't run, even if her jailers were absent. _They_ would have, they all agreed. And although Kagome appeared calm and collected, the sharper-sensed ones among the staff could tell that she was nervous, depressed and, above all, afraid. They could see how her fingers were shaking and smell the sheen of sweat on the back of her neck.

But she sat quietly, for what seemed like days but was really only an hour. She was drifting into a sort of waking unconsciousness when a voice spoke at her elbow. "My princess."

Kagome turned to see Myoga beside her, standing on the table with his hands clasped and his eyes down-turned. "Oh, Myoga!" she cried softly. "I've missed you terribly. Where have you been?"

"Around," he replied evasively. He finally looked up at her. "I've heard what has been happening in my absence. Including this night's events."

The princess's face fell. "I'm so sorry, Myoga. I went to the ball again. I meant to say goodbye to Inuyasha and I did, but Naraku knew _everything_ somehow. The spies will take me soon. And I promised Kagura to remain here, so that she would not be punished if I ran."

"Yes, I've heard all of that," said the flea, nodding slowly. "I'm sorry."

Kagome shrugged and looked away. "I suppose I was just delaying the inevitable. Father never would have stopped looking, after all."

He hopped up onto her knee. "I meant that I was sorry that you had to say goodbye to the prince." He shook his aged head. "It took true bravery to turn away from the male you love, in order to save a kingdom. Not many in your place would have done that. They would have revealed all and begged for asylum."

"So, you forgive me?"

"My dear girl, I never should have been angry in the first place." Myoga smiled sadly at her. "I was forgetting my position. You will always be a princess, whether you are dressed in rags or the finest kimonos. And I will always be your humble servant and, I hope, your friend."

Kagome grinned and put her hands over her chest. "Oh, how I wish I could hug you without crushing you, Myoga!"

He gave a wheezy laugh. "It wouldn't be advisable, Kagome."

"No, I suppose it wouldn't be," she agreed. She gave a forlorn little sigh and looked at him. "I have missed you so much. I'm sure that by the end of this night, everyone will know who I really am, but I can't help but think that you're the only creature that truly knows."

"And the prince," he replied, raising his eyebrows.

Kagome's shoulders slumped. "Perhaps. But I admit that my decision to leave him, to reject his marriage proposal, wasn't entirely altruistic. I just couldn't bear the thought of him marrying his 'mystery princess'. He doesn't really know _me_, after all, does he? Not the true girl beneath the beautiful kimonos."

"I disagree. He has met you as Thousandfurs. You act as yourself in this guise."

"And he hates me," replied the girl. "I don't believe he's said a kind word to me while I've been under this cloak."

"He brought you to the infirmary when he thought you were sick, didn't he?" asked Myoga. "That's what I heard."

Kagome nodded. "Only because he thought it would endear me to his purpose and that I would help him find his dancing partner!" she argued softly.

The flea cocked his head and sighed. "I remember a time when you were naïve to the ways of the world, when you could not believe anyone had intentions other than what they showed you." He clicked his tongue. "I remember thinking that you needed to lose that naivete, but now I think I want it back. It disturbs me to hear you say such things about the prince, when you so obviously love him."

"Just because I love him, doesn't mean that I'm blind to his faults."

"Ah, another way in which you have grown up!" he observed.

The princess closed her eyes. "I am much changed, I think. I don't know if I'll ever be royalty again." She laughed and remembered her situation. "Of course I won't be! I'll be on the executioner's block before I've passed an hour in the Nakao kingdom."

"Don't say it like that," said the flea.

She turned to him. "You don't have to come with me, Myoga," she replied softly. "Please, you should hide yourself. I'll tell them that you died in the winter months."

"Better to say that I had ran away. They might believe that," he said. He stared up at her. "But not this time, Kagome! I will go back with you. Perhaps I can convince the king that it was me that took you here, to his enemies' den. Perhaps he'll spare your life."

"And then take it again by taking me to his bed!" she argued. "No, I would rather die."

Myoga sighed heavily again and hung his head. "I will not let my princess die alone then. I will be with her."

"Then I will be with my dearest friend," she replied with a smile. "Please, don't be sad about this Myoga! The kami punish me in life so that I may have peace in death. I believe this and so should you."

The flea nodded his agreement, for how could anyone as good as this princess go without reward after all she had been through? "I smell your nervousness and despair," he murmured, "as do the other youkai in this room, I'm sure. But you aren't nervous about death, so what has you so tightly wound up?"

"Inuyasha will know my true identity," she replied without hesitation. "He may know it now. He may have treated me poorly as Thousandfurs and grandly as his mystery princess, but I have no idea how he will treat me as Kagome."

"He will love you still, I think," said the flea. "Even if he doesn't realize it."

"I gave him the Shikon no Tama," she said softly, "so that he will _not_ have to love me."

The tiny diplomat shuddered. "If your father finds out…"

"What? He'll kill me even faster?" she laughed scornfully. "I don't care. Inuyasha once searched for my half of that jewel and now he has it entirely. He can choose a life with Kikyo, if he wants. Or he can choose to be a full demon and escape the shame of his hanyou life."

Myoga bowed his head in thought. "Perhaps," he whispered. "But I think that even the famously hasty prince would think twice about those propositions."

"The point is that he has a choice," she said.

The door opened and Kagura came in. Her skin was paler than usual, pale enough to rival her sister's, but her eyes were fierce and glittering. "You are all dismissed," she said loudly to the staff. She pointed to Kagome. "Except you. You must come with me."

Kagome and Myoga looked at one another. "The king wants you, I wager," said the flea.

"Then the king will have me," replied the princess, getting to her feet. "Are you sure you don't want to leave? You may be saving your life if you leave now."

Myoga shook his head. "If I leave my princess now, I will die of the shame. I told you, this time I'm not running away."

"Words to live by." Kagome looked up at Kagura, whose red eyes were lit with fear and determination. She had a feeling that she would be thanking the wind witch later. If Kagura had told the prince anything, surely the prince would be here in her place. It was up to Kagome for the when and where of her secret being divulged. "Shall we?" she asked, walking up to the red-eyed female.

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Inuyasha watched the old demon as he studied the jewel carefully, bending over so far that his nose was almost to the floor. "Have you tried putting the two pieces together?" he asked, prodding one half with the back of his claw.

"No, I don't know what will happen. That's why I'm here, you moron," said the prince.

The old man sat back on his heels and gave the hanyou prince a piercing glare with his bugged eyes. "Well, it seems it's the genuine article," he announced, wrapping the two halves into separate pieces of black velvet and handing them over to Inuyasha. "But you know, this is a human made object, and I'm not really an expert on that sort of thing."

"You're the best we have at the moment," scoffed the prince. "Which isn't saying much."

"Hmph!" The demon rose to his feet and went to one of the shelves that were overflowing with scrolls. "These damn things," he muttered as he rooted through them. "So disorganized and so flammable… Ah! Here it is!"

Inuyasha took the scroll from him and unfurled it, scrunching up his nose when he saw the words. "I can't read this. It's in none of the languages that I know."

"Dumb pup!" The demon snatched it back from him. "It's just an old story about that jewel you have there. It talks about how it was made from the soul of a priestess who was battling many demons in a cave far from here. It talks about the battle that still rages within it and how its power can be pure or the essence of foul."

"So?" prompted Inuyasha, once his companion had fallen silent.

"So it continues to say that someone much older and wiser than _you_ broke it into two pieces and flung the two parts to opposite sides of the world. I don't know how the power disappeared from it, because the text doesn't say, but it's a good guess that if the parts are put back together, the power will return in full force. It will be sought after by many cruel and unclean creatures." The bug-eyed demon looked at the prince. "It would be best, I think, if you threw the pieces to opposite sides of the world once again."

"Why would I do that?" snapped the hanyou. "I know what you're not telling me. It'll grant a wish if it's put together again. Then there won't be any threat anyway!"

"Only if it's an unselfish wish," said the demon with a sigh. "It will become tainted with a selfish wish, just as it will if an impure creature touches it."

Inuyasha frowned and looked at the two bundles of velvet in his hands. Every wish of his life had a selfish element, he knew that. But every wish in the world could be selfish in some way! Those who wished for peace wanted to be revered as peacemakers. Those who wished away another's affliction wanted to be a savior. Humans and demons were too selfish innately to have a wish that was not. Was there a line to cross? At what point did the jewel become tainted?

As he was musing over these questions, others came through the door behind him. "Totosai," said the familiar voice, "is it actually the Shikon no Tama?"

Inuyasha turned to see his father, standing with his mother and elder brother at his sides. The old demon sword-smith answered behind him. "Yes, Your Majesty. I believe it is."

The king frowned deeply and looked down at his younger son. "Inuyasha, bring the jewel and come with me. The guests are still in the ballroom. On the way there, you can tell me how you came across this treasure."

The prince stood and took his leave of Totosai with a nod. Out in the hallway, he joined his father as Izayoi and Sesshoumaru trailed a little behind. "It was in the soup that Kagura brought to me. Half of it anyway. You knew I had the other half already." His cheeks burned as he remembered the row that had started when he had announced to his father that he was looking for the jewel with the intention to become human.

The king's eyes darkened as he remembered as well. "Have you questioned Kagura?"

"Yes, but she just brought it to me. She wouldn't say anything else. She's going to the kitchen now to fetch the girl who made it for me."

"Kagome?" guessed the monarch.

Inuyasha nodded. "I don't expect much from her, Father. For the past two feasts, she has made my bread soup and I have found treasures at the bottom both times. The first time was a gold arrowhead. The second was the hilt of Tetsusaiga." He said this last part very softly, but his father still had his hearing.

"Tetsusaiga?" The king looked at him sharply and from behind them, Sesshoumaru sucked in a quick breath. "Why didn't you tell me? That sword has been broken in two for a long time, Inuyasha. I lost the hilt when I battled for your mother."

"I know," said the sullen prince. "I wasn't sure it was real, but now that this is… well, what would be the point of carrying a true Shikon fragment and not the true hilt of the Fang?"

"When this night is over, you will take both pieces of the sword to Totosai, so that it can be fixed. It never worked properly when he affixed a different hilt." The king sighed and shook his head before returning to the matter at hand. "So, you will question Kagome. I would like to be there this time."

Inuyasha shot his father a look, but then his ears fell back against his head. He had _hit_ Thousandfurs the last time he had found something in his soup. "Fine."

"I want it done in front of the guests as well," said the king, again gaining a surprised glance from his son.

"Do you think that's wise, my dear?" asked Izayoi from behind them.

The king stopped and turned to his mate. "No, probably not. The girl will almost certainly feel persecuted. But I must see this for myself and I cannot leave the guests for any longer. And I will not feed the rumor mill any longer with this ridiculous affair. This was supposed to be a mating feast, after all, and this girl obviously has the information of where Inuyasha's intended is."

Izayoi lowered her eyes. "She turned him down though."

Inuyasha watched as a tear escaped his mother's eye and then looked at his brother. Sesshoumaru was surprisingly silent. Normally, he would never give up the chance to infuriate his little sibling, but now, the younger king appeared thoughtful. Their father seemed to notice it too, as he went to comfort his mate. "What is on your mind, Sesshoumaru?" he asked.

The younger dog demon frowned slightly. "You believe this young girl from the kitchens has information on this phantom that Inuyasha so ardently pursues?" he asked. "How do you know this, aside from the trinkets in your soup?"

"A feeling," said Inuyasha, shrugging. "Also, I catch the girl's scent when I speak to Thousandfurs sometimes. Like they've been in contact for a few minutes earlier in the day."

Sesshoumaru nodded slowly. "Then question her in front of the court and the guests. This Sesshoumaru has his own theories, but if they prove to be false, there may be consequences." He arched his brow. "If they are true, there may still be consequences."

"Why do you care?" snapped Inuyasha, suddenly annoyed at his brother's vague statements.

The younger king glared at his brother. "Because I still share blood with this family, although the idea frequently repulses me, and I do not wish to see any of my blood humiliated. Not even you, you insolent pup."

"Enough," said the king, watching as his two sons stared at one another. "There is time for fighting later. Now, we must prepare for our interrogation of the girl. She will undoubtedly be afraid and will perhaps grow increasingly silent."

"Or increasingly belligerent," muttered Inuyasha. "I know what to ask her."

"Because you have been so successful in the past?" questioned Sesshoumaru.

"Shut up!" snapped the hanyou. He calmed down in a moment and looked at his father. "What if she doesn't say anything though?"

The king sighed and squeezed his mate's hand. "If she says nothing, but I sense that she is lying, I will have to send her to the dungeon," he said, frowning as Izayoi pulled away in horror. "It may be for her own protection. If she cannot answer to a king, she is hiding dangerous secrets."

Inuyasha was as uneasy with this idea as his father obviously was, but he nodded. "There's one more thing. I don't think anyone else should know, especially not Thousandfurs when we question her. I put a subjugation necklace on the girl."

Izayoi's eyes widened. "You did what? You would subdue the girl you say you love?"

"It's not like that!" he replied. "It's… I mean, I asked Kaede to make it without an actual spell on it. It's not like she'll answer when I call or anything, although I was thinking of that. I just had it made so that the girl can't take it off."

"Never?" asked the king.

Inuyasha shook his head. "Only I can take it off. No one else. Not even the strongest magic."

"If the girl wears a disguise to somehow evade our detection, this necklace would give her away," observed Sesshoumaru. "Every person in the ballroom must be inspected."

"After we question Kagome," said the king, shaking his head. "I will not subject my guests to that unless I must. As it is, I feel uncomfortable with the whole idea. We're looking for a girl that dances with my son, not a spy."

"Perhaps both," said his eldest child.

A guard suddenly appeared at the end of the hallway and advanced upon them. The king sighed, stepping forward to meet the youkai. "What is it now?"

"We have found a human in the gardens a short time ago, Your Majesty," replied the guard, bowing deeply. "We questioned him without harming him, since we thought he may be one of the human nobles' servants, but in his possession we found several documents that indicated he may be a spy. We also took Naraku into custody."

"Naraku? What the devil did you want my chef for?"

"The spy had one slip of paper with the chef's writing on it, intimating the disclosure of a great secret, one that even you were not aware of, Your Majesty."

Inuyasha scoffed. "That's the most moronic spy ever then, to keep his documents on his person."

"He was quite ruffled, Your Highness. It seems he was called by Naraku on very short notice," the guard said. He lowered his voice. "We could… question him more intensely, Your Majesty."

The king spared a glance for his mate, who wore an expression of deep disgust. She had never had the stomach for torture that most youkai had, given her human origins. "Save that for awhile yet," he said. "Bring Naraku to meet with us in the throne room, however. Do not bind him, but put the best of the guards with him, to prevent any possible escape. When Kagura returns with the scullery maid, make sure they go to the throne room as well and keep an eye on the wind witch. She and Naraku have a history together, or so I hear."

"Yes, Your Majesty," said the guard, bowing deeply before being dismissed.

They continued their walk towards the throne room. "A secret that even I do not know? It sounds like Naraku might know who the girl is before even you, Inuyasha," said the king.

"Looks like it," growled the hanyou. "And it looks like there's more to this than just a girl who won't tell me her name. How is that possible, that Naraku should know before me?"

"If we're to believe Miroku's accusations, he is much more than a chef," said Izayoi. "He is a cunning leader in the youkai underworld. Perhaps we should have listened to him more closely."

"Indeed, if he was right, I will have to reward him," replied the king. "I will pay closer attention in the future to his suspicions. I always knew that Naraku was unsavory, but to think that he may be guilty of treason, of keeping secrets that might do harm to my kingdom if they are divulged… that is no longer out of the realm of possibility."

"We must keep this girl safe," said Izayoi. "We can't let her be sacrificed to whoever she fears."

"It depends on who she is," said Sesshoumaru.

The king nodded his agreement. "First, we must determine that," he said. "Then, we will decide what to do. Here we are." He opened a small door that lead to the back of the throne room and walked in, followed by his sons and mate.

The guests were tired, the king could see that immediately. It was the middle of the night, the soporific feast was long over, and yet they could not leave because the king had not yet given his announcement about the prince. They had, of course, seen Inuyasha leave the room much earlier. They had seen the way the girl – the only girl he had danced with – had reacted when he had spoken with her. But they all knew that like any well-prepared royal family, the king would have a back-up plan. This was what they expected to hear now. Then they could, thankfully, collapse into their beds.

The king made his way to the throne and sat down, beckoning to Miroku. "Yes, Your Majesty?" asked the diplomat, as he approached.

"It appears you may have been right about Naraku," said the monarch, looking at his human aide evenly. "He was writing to a man that might be a spy."

"From Nakao?"

The king shrugged. "I do not know yet, but it would be a likely guess. Who else would dare to do such a thing?"

"Against you, Your Majesty?" asked Miroku, his eyes widening. "It would be deadly to entertain the idea. But, as you observed once, the present Nakao king has no idea what destruction a war against the youkai kingdoms could inflict upon the human world. You have the benefit of experience and he does not."

"There is more. I am sure you witnessed Inuyasha's – ahem – failure to secure the young lady's goodwill earlier this evening," he said, earning a nod and grave look from the diplomat. "We believe that she may be entangled in Naraku's plot with this spy, however. If the girl is still in the castle, we will find her this night and help in any way that we can. Kagome is coming here to be questioned, as is Naraku and Kagura. Keep your eyes on them, my friend. Youkai can smell emotion, but you humans have whole ranges of feelings that we cannot detect. Watch for me."

"Of course, Your Majesty."

"And Miroku?" The king held out a hand as the diplomat began to turn away. When he looked back again, the monarch nodded at someone past his shoulder and smiled. "You're a very lucky man. She cleans up very nicely."

Miroku turned to see Sango blushing under the king's kind gaze and grinned. "That I am and that she does, Your Majesty," he said, bowing and returning to his beloved's side. "I believe that your worrying for Kagome will either be extinguished or increased in a few moments, Sango. She has been summoned to the presence of the king, here and now. They will finally ask her about what she knows of Inuyasha's phantom girl.

"Oh, dear. I hope that Kagome has the presence of mind to answer truthfully," she said, her brow creasing with concern.

"I'm sure she will do fine," he replied, "but I think we both realize that Kagome has been keeping secrets from us. I'm not injured that she kept it from me, but from you? I am surprised."

Sango nodded. "She would never tell me anything," she said softly, as she smoothed her kimono. Silk felt so heavenly against her skin! She was beginning to wonder how she ever did without it. "Shouldn't Myoga know the truth?"

Miroku frowned for a moment. "Ah! That flea demon that was with her when we first met. Yes, I remember him now." He shrugged. "He said that he was her guide to the Taisho kingdom, in exchange for a bit of blood."

"Hmm, yes. But as you just pointed out, Kagome has been keeping secrets from us."

"Of anyone in this room, you know her the best, Sango. The king has asked me to watch for human lies and deception, and I in turn enlist you. Will you tell me if your friend is being less than truthful?"

Sango bit her lip. "I promised that I would never betray her."

Miroku frowned for a moment. "An admirable promise, my love, but not one that can be sustained here. The king must know her secrets, possibly in order to preserve his kingdom. At the very least, he is trying to save his son from mating with a female he does not love."

"Who?"

"Ayame. She will be Inuyasha's mate if the phantom girl does not return," said the diplomat. "I don't think Inuyasha is too pleased with the idea."

The taijiya sighed heavily. "I hope that Kagome hasn't gotten herself too deeply into trouble," she said. "I will help you, Miroku, but only because I wish to help Kagome in the process. I never thought that her keeping of secrets was a wise idea. And now it seems that she has fallen on the wrong side of more than one powerful demon."

"As it is, we barely know anything. It disturbs me to see ourselves so deeply in the dark." Miroku put his arm around his love's waist and pulled her close to his side. "We'll see what the king has to say. Look, he's ready to speak."

The king was standing, holding his hands to hush the dull hum of voices. "Forgive me for keeping you all awake tonight. I am sure that you are all aware that things haven't gone entirely to plan, but I hope to remedy that, and if I cannot, my son is still prepared to take a mate that his mother and I have chosen for him."

The doors on the other end of the hall opened and Naraku came forward, flanked by the two guards, one of quicksilver speed and the other of bone-crunching strength. The captured youkai's eyes were dark as blood, knowing that one or the other sentry would seize him before he ventured half a step. The crowd parted for them, everyone pulling back in disgust at the sight of what was obviously a suspected criminal, although he was not bound by the hands or the feet.

"Naraku," intoned the monarch, once the youkai had reached the dais. "You have worked in my employ for many years, have you not?"

"I have, Your Majesty," replied the demon.

"So tell me that it is not true, what my guards have said about you. Tell me that you haven't tried to contact someone suspected of spying, that you weren't trying to give him information about my kingdom."

Naraku remained silent, his red eyes fixed on the floor.

"Answer me!" thundered the king suddenly, making everyone jump back. Except Izayoi, who lay a hand on his and calmed her mate.

The chef looked up and the royal family had to quell their desire to flinch at his burning gaze. "Any information I was to give to the spy tonight did not concern you, Your Majesty. It concerned only his employers, a ragged scullery maid and the coin that crossed my palm."

"Enough of the girl. We will return to that subject in a moment's time, when she is here to defend herself," said the king. "Tell me, have you ever spoken to this spy about matters other than the girl though? Have you spoke about my kingdom's affairs?"

Naraku's eyes were hooded and dark. "Yes."

The king drew in a breath, steadying himself against this treason. "What have you discussed?"

"Everything."

Sesshoumaru stepped forward. "You shall be executed."

The chef smiled, his fangs poking out of his vicious, lying mouth. "I don't doubt that you'll try, pup king." He sneered at him. "I thought you had some promise, Sesshoumaru, when I came here. You weren't degenerate like the rest of your family. But you stand with them, even now. And now, you disgust me more than any of the rest."

"That I repulse a criminal and traitor like you is none of my concern," replied the young king. "I am honorable in my actions."

The doors opened again and Kagura came in with Kagome, their arms linked in support of one another. Guards trailed behind them at a distance, but the wind witch appeared keenly aware of their presence and for their purpose. Her shoulders were stiff, her spine straight with agitation as Kagome slumped in fear beside her.

They approached slowly, even pausing when they saw Naraku with his sentries at either side. Kagura furrowed her brow, but largely ignored her boss and sometimes lover as she came towards the dais. Kagome kept her eyes to the floor. She had been brave in the kitchen, but when the guards had told them that the audience with the king would be in front of all the other guests, her confidence had dwindled. She could bear the surprise and outrage of the king alone – she knew he would never actually hurt her for trying to save her life – but the rest of the demons? They had looked at her with contempt even when she was a princess!

When she finally had the courage to look up, she saw that Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru stood on either side of their parents' thrones. The sight of the hanyou studying her face was enough to make the necklace around her throat feel like one of granite. On the way from the kitchen to the palace, she and Kagura had once again tried to take it off, the wind witch straining until her arms were sore, but it was no use. The necklace wouldn't budge. Kagome wondered what sort of trick Inuyasha had been playing when he put it upon her, but they finally decided to tuck it beneath her cloak's collar. And so despite the heat in the castle, from the roaring fires and mass of bodies, Kagome was wrapped tightly in her furs. One slip could show the necklace or the kimono of diamonds that she still wore (for the guards had joined them too soon for her to change).

"Kagura," intoned the king, earning a deep bow from the wind witch. "I have much to ask you. It seems we have a mess of lies and deceit here. May I depend on you to answer my questions in full?"

"Will they concern Naraku, Your Majesty?" she asked.

"Yes, besides a few other matters."

The wind witch was silent for a moment. "I will answer you completely, because I have more loyalty to you than to him, although the entire castle knows that I frequent his bed. But I ask that I may be able to tell my entire story first, before you condemn me for what I can reveal."

"Very well," agreed the king. "Stay for a moment then. My guests came to see if my son would be mating with his dancing partner or Ayame and I will try not to disappoint them, and so I will deal with that matter first. Then you may be assured of privacy when you tell your tale, because I will send the guests to their rooms."

Kagura bowed again. "Thank you, Your Majesty."

The king turned to Kagome and she quailed under his gaze. "Why are you afraid?" he asked. "You have spoken with me before and shown only respect, not fear."

"I fear for my life," she answered.

"We will not hurt you," said Izayoi, a frown marring her gentle features.

"I do not fear death or injury from you, Your Majesty," she said. "I fear it from others."

The king frowned, matching his mate. "You are in my kingdom and no one will touch you until I have considered the matter carefully."

Kagome was silent.

"We have but one matter to ask you about, my girl," said the king, worrying still creasing his face. "Do you know the woman who has been dancing with my son for the past three feasts, including tonight's?"

Kagome looked at Kagura who nodded at her. On her shoulder, Myoga – so far unseen – made a soft noise of encouragement. "I do."

"And do you know where she is at this moment?"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

The king took a deep breath. Five paces away, beside his mother, Inuyasha was fidgeting terribly. This was going too fast, the king decided. This was too easy! The girl, from what his son had reported, had been difficult and stubborn to draw answers from and now she stood here, answering everything! Something had changed. "Why do you so readily answer my questions?" he asked, surprising his mate and sons.

"Because you are the king," she murmured.

"My son is the prince and you did not answer him truthfully. I know that you told him that you knew _nothing_ about the girl with whom he is enamored."

Kagome's eyes fell away. "I did not tell him because at the time, I could not for the sake of my life. Now, my life may be lost anyway, despite your assurances of protection. The fact that he is here," she said, nodding at Naraku, "tells me that the fabric has unraveled. I wish to tell my tale before Naraku has the chance to mar my image, much like Kagura's desire to protect her own reputation. But I do still hesitate. Forgive me, but I do not believe that you will shield me when all is known, Your Majesty."

The king moved to speak again, but Inuyasha was faster. "I've heard that sort of talk before," he muttered, staring carefully at the girl. "Did you want to tell us?"

"I've always wanted to tell you this secret, Your Highness, because it weighs heavily on my shoulders," she said.

"But you couldn't… for the protection of both of us?" he asked slowly.

Kagome looked at him carefully, but saw only intense need in his eyes. "Yes, but I am prepared now, because other events have moved out of my control." She turned her head away, trying to hold back her tears, unaware of her revealing movement.

Inuyasha took several rapid breaths and then sprang forward, landing lightly on the floor before Kagome, grabbing her wrist and pulling her back towards him when she jumped back in fright. Izayoi was on her feet behind him. "Inuyasha! What are you doing?"

"Figuring it all out," he growled, staring at Kagome's chocolate brown eyes, which were wide with realization. "I was so stupid!"

"Please, don't," she whispered. "Not now."

"You've already pled that to me once tonight," he answered. He put his hand to her throat and, in one sharp movement, pulled the necklace from underneath her cloak. The white fangs that he had seen for a split second before shone brightly against her soot-covered skin.

At the sight of it, the king collapsed back into his throne. Sesshoumaru and Izayoi paled. Inuyasha turned back to the girl, still held fast by his hand around her wrist. "It's you," he murmured. "How can it be _you_?"

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A/N: I know, I'm so cruel. But I'll update much more quickly this time – imagine if I had left you with this ending a month ago! I think you'd lynch me. Anyway, review and I'll be more inclined to finish chapter 16 and update!


	16. Most Beloved

A/N: WOW! I got NINETY-ONE reviews (at last count) for chapter 15. That's more than any single chapter for ANY story I've written before. I'm really flattered. I worked especially hard on this chapter for you guys because of that! It made the wait a bit longer, but you guys actually made me think of some things that even I hadn't. Thanks so much. I hope you like the new chapter.

Thousandfurs

Chapter 16: Most Beloved

The king did not sit still for long. After a moment, the buzz of gossip reached his sensitive ears and he stood again. "Everyone, quiet!" he thundered. The thrum of voices stopped immediately. He passed a hand over his face and stepped off the dais to look at Kagome. "Something must be done to remedy this."

"Your Majesty?" asked Kagome, her eyes widening. Inuyasha still had her by the wrist and his only hand was still wrapped around the necklace at her throat. She was utterly vulnerable if the king decided to drag her away to the dungeons. Not that she could stand against a youkai anyway, even if she _was_ at liberty.

He snapped his fingers and muttered something to a servant, who dashed off immediately. Circling his son and Kagome, he sighed. "Perhaps you should start from the beginning," he said. "I promised the same luxury to Kagura after all." He turned and sat back down on the throne. "Inuyasha, let the girl go. She can't exactly dodge our questions now."

No one in the hall was sleepy now. They crowded together and forward, trying to be as close to the soft-spoken girl as possible. Kagome felt their eyes on her back and instinctively moved closer to Inuyasha, but the prince dropped his hold on her and returned to his place beside his mother, moving slowly. He stared at her with great golden eyes as she felt the absence of his warmth. Emotions were flickering over his expression too fast to read.

The servant finally returned and the king gestured to the basin that he carried. "Wash your skin. I would like to see your face as we speak."

Kagome flipped back her hood and obediently washed her arms and face clean of the soot, painfully conscious of the large group of youkai watching her every move. When she was done, they began to murmur about her beauty and a few mentioned her passing resemblance to Kikyo. When she unfastened her cloak, however, all whispers died.

She was glorious. More so than when they had first seen her, earlier in the night. Still adorned in her kimono of diamonds, she glowed, but her hair was undone and she had a glitter of resolve in her eye that endeared her to many of the demons present. She was _wild_, they pronounced, when their voices returned to them. Royalty, of course, but also coarse and unapologetic in her splendor. Such unbridled beauty was greatly admired among youkai. Comparisons to the Princess Kikyo – who stood in the corner with a nasty snarl on her face – ceased entirely.

Inuyasha's heart stopped. He held onto the back of his mother's chair for support. "Who are you?" he finally choked out.

She took a deep breath. "I am Kagome, formerly the Princess of Nakao kingdom. I ran away when my father tried to make me his wife and bedmate, because that was a sin against Nature and he would not listen to reason. I came here, with the diplomat Myoga to assist me."

The flea bounced up the dais at this introduction and bowed. "Your Majesties, Your Highness, I was the one who suggested that the princess come to this kingdom. If there is any blame for the decision to burden you with her presence, it would be mine."

"You are the diplomat that accepted the position in Nakao when no one else would?" asked the king.

Myoga shifted uncomfortably. "Well, yes, Your Majesty."

"You saved this girl from a terrible fate and risked your own life," he said. "I don't think that any blame could be placed on you. Or your lovely princess."

Izayoi cleared her throat. "I understand why you felt the need to hide, my dear girl," she said. "But why did you then risk exposure by attending our feasts? You dressed extravagantly and danced with my son. All of this attracted considerable attention."

Kagome lowered her eyes. "You must understand, my queen, that attracting attention was far from my mind. At first, I only thought of regaining a piece of myself. I am no longer a princess after all. My father stripped me of that title long ago, but I still have royal blood, because he cannot take that from me. I yearned for my old society and so I came to the first dance looking for my past. Afterwards," she paused and looked up at the queen. "Afterwards, I came to see your son."

"Why didn't you tell me?" snapped the prince suddenly. "I could have protected you!"

She sent a cold glare towards her would-be savior. "Could you?" she asked. "Can you even now? I have heard about the spy caught in the gardens. Seeing Naraku here confirms it, because I know that he had figured out my secret and was going to expose me. My father knows where I am now, and if he doesn't, your father will be honor-bound to tell him. You can't stop them from taking me back there."

"I can and I will," he replied.

"Inuyasha," warned the king. "Be silent and let the girl finish her tale."

"There is not much more to it, Your Majesty," said the princess. "When I realized that the prince was seeking his mate, I came to bid him goodbye. I could not be discovered, and yet now I am anyway."

"Do you know what your father will do to you if you return to Nakao?" the king asked, silencing Inuyasha's wordless protest again with a sharp look.

Kagome nodded. "I imagine one of two possibilities. He will either execute me for treason, or he will marry me and force me to his bed anyway. Either way, I die because I will take my own life in the latter possibility."

"And Myoga?"

"I will be executed summarily," replied the flea. "You know the law, Your Majesty. I may be a diplomat but I am certainly guilty of treason against the king and that is the one thing for which I can be punished without a special tribunal being called."

The king stood up and paced to the edge of the dais to look at Naraku and Kagura. "This is a weighty decision," he said. "If I protect you, I risk war. If I let you go, you will both die and my son will be without a mate."

"I will fight for her," said Inuyasha, his eyes blazing.

"And I will _not_ have you do that," returned the princess immediately, drawing the surprised glances of the entire royal family. "Your Majesty, I must choose death."

The king's eyebrow raised and he looked out across the expansive crowd huddled in the great hall. "Forgive me, but I must dismiss all of you," he said. "These are matters of state and not just my son's mate. We will make a final announcement in the morning. Good night."

"No," snapped a familiar voice, halting the groans of disappointment. The princess looked around to see Koga emerge from the crowd. The wolf prince smiled cockily at her and bowed. "The Taisho kingdom may not be willing to go to war for you, Kagome-sama, but my wolves will! We'll rip the hearts out of any human who dares to try taking you away from me!"

Kagome gazed at him, aghast at his suggestion. "I'm not letting you hurt an army of my countrymen, Koga! They would only be following my father's orders! It's not fair to them. I won't have kingdoms ripped part on my behalf."

The wolf blinked, his tail twitching. "But… I'm willing to show you my kingdom's worth, Kagome," argued Koga, thrown by her refusal. "You'll be a wonderful mate. Through this battle, we will rise to eminence!"

"I don't care about that!" sputtered the princess. "I care about the lives that you're so willing to throw away!"

Koga was at a loss. "I want to give you everything…" he said, a frown creasing his features. "Think about it. You don't have a father anymore, but my pack can become your new family! We defend our pack members and we would never dare to do anything so hideous as your father has done."

"That's a nice sentiment, Koga," murmured Kagome, "but you've already proven yourself capable of doing hideous acts. Or do you not remember how you threatened me, hurt me and shamed me the night we first met, when I was just a simple servant?"

The wolf had the grace to look embarrassed as Inuyasha bristled. "What? You hurt her? You worthless little slime!"

"Like you treated her any better, dog-shit! Everyone in the castle knows what _you_ did to her!" snapped the wolf prince, similarly cowing the hanyou. He looked back at Kagome. "I'll make it up to you, Kagome."

"There's nowhere to go but up after that sort of behavior," said the princess. "But even when I wasn't a servant, you treated me as a possession, Koga. And I don't want to talk anymore about that. Please, the king ordered you – all of you – gone from this hall and I think it's time that you listen. Go and find a suitable mate, Koga. Find one of your own kind who will be adoring and obedient and will find your vicious protectiveness endearing. I'm not that girl."

Koga colored again as he turned to leave and the Taisho king stood to watch the brazen wolf. "The princess is right. What has happened that all of you have learned to ignore the orders of a monarch in his own kingdom?" he said softly, his eyes flashing with sincerity. "I have a choice to make and you will not hear another word until the morning."

The entire assembly grumbled its disappointment. They wanted to see this lovely little human girl fight with the stubborn prince – both of them. She had just chosen death and Inuyasha was clearly adamant against it. It was quite a question that was before the king. It wasn't just a matter of his son's mate anymore, but his kingdom's safety. Once, long ago, he had gone to war over a princess. Would he again? He wasn't as young and foolhardy as he had been back in those days. Many of the older youkai in the crowd shook their heads with the memories of their brash, younger king of yesteryear. They had lost many fine young demons in that war. Most agreed that it had been largely worth it. Not for the sake of obtaining a human queen – although most adored her for her even-tempered nature beside the hot head of the king – but for the sake of finally teaching the humans where their place was in the order of the world. It seemed to many of them that the humans hadn't quite learned their lesson.

"I petition that I may remain, Your Majesty," said Miroku quickly.

"And me!" chirped Shippo, appearing from out of the crowd.

"I, as well, would like to stay, Your Majesty," said Sango.

Kagome turned sharply at this familiar voice and saw the taijiya draped in a beautiful pink kimono. It was the same woman who she had seen earlier in the evening, but she had not recognized her then. "Sango?"

"Good evening, Your Highness," greeted the former servant, bowing deeply.

"Miroku has chosen Sango to be his wife and mate," said the king, as the crowds begrudgingly filed out. He noted silently that Kikyo was reluctantly leaving, sending seething glares back over her shoulder. "She will become a Lady soon enough and I have decided that she will command some of my troops. Her demon slaying skills are formidable, after all, and even youkai have the need to slay other youkai at times. She will be quite useful. It's a pity she escaped my notice for so long. You are acquainted then?"

Kagome smiled at her friend, feeling happy for the first time in ages as she watched Miroku hold her close. "She is one of my dearest companions," she said.

"Then she may stay. Yes, you as well, Shippo." The king looked at Naraku and Kagura. "Your story has much to do with the princess, I would imagine?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," replied Kagura.

The king nodded. "Then I will consider Kagome-sama's situation as you tell me about yours," he said. He looked up to see the doors closing behind the last of the guests. "Begin."

Kagura closed her eyes for a moment, gathering her strength. They were clear and steady when she opened them again. "I was caught on the wrong side of the last war, between the humans and the demons, the one fought over Queen Izayoi," she began, bowing to the queen as she mentioned her name. "I was a vagrant, I had no money to speak of and all that I could get went to the care of my sister, Kanna, and our provisions. When war broke out, the humans demanded that I help or be caged. I chose to help them, but afterwards, I think I would rather have died in a prison cell.

"I went to the border and I fought, but without heart." She paused and looked at the king. "I could have done worse, Your Majesty. I can raise the dead to be my puppets, but I never even drew my fan. I fought as humans do, with a katana and dagger."

"Do not try to ingratiate yourself to me, Kagura," said the king, his eyes narrowing. "You fought with the humans against your own kind. Continue your story and I will judge for myself – without your superfluous descriptions – that you do not deserve to be condemned for such an act. Now continue."

The wind witch shuddered visibly. "Yes, Your Majesty," she replied, taking a moment to compose herself. "In one of the last battles between the kingdoms, I was injured by a stray arrow. It wasn't a mortal wound, if anyone had cared to assist me, but they hadn't and so I was soon dying of blood loss. I couldn't move and even worse, I was in demon territory bearing the marks of the human army. Naraku was the one who found me. He said that there were youkai scouts coming my way and I had a choice – I could be caught and likely executed for treason, or he could heal me and hide me until the danger had passed. Of course, I took the second option. After he had taken me to a more secure location and bound my wounds, he revealed the twist to his philanthropy. He demanded that I bind myself to him, by blood and heart, or he would reveal me as a traitor. More than that, he would find my sister and turn her in as well."

"You could have escaped," said Izayoi.

The king shook his head. "Blood ties. They are rare these days, my mate. In fact, I haven't heard of one done by a civilized youkai for centuries. It's the darkest of magic and binds a subservient heart to a master. If the inferior creature strays far without permission or harms the master, it would be fatal."

Kagome looked at her friend with wide eyes. This was the reason for her undeserved attention to Naraku? She slept with him to save her life and her sister's, allowed herself to be beaten by him. Kagome could see that Kagura would have murdered the cook in his sleep long ago, if it hadn't been for the threat of death.

But the wind witch was not done. "Naraku came here, with me and my sister in tow, of course. He would not release me, despite all I did to displease him. As you know, Your Majesty, we have been here for many years. At first, I only noticed Naraku's occasional odd behavior, but then, things got complicated. One day, he put me in front of a ledger of the kitchen accounts and told me to fix it. I realized that he had been stealing money from you, Your Majesty, and concealing it by keeping two sets of ledgers. Unfortunately for him, as manipulative and cruel as he is, Naraku doesn't have much of a head for numbers and he had gotten in over his head. He turned over the accounts to me, telling me that if I ever said a word, he would kill Kanna in her bed. He never told me what he did with the money, because I never saw any of it. He didn't buy jewels or fine clothes and he certainly did not keep much besides his normal wages in his room. I was mystified as to where it was all going.

"By this time, I had gotten sick of the treatment he rained down on my head every day. The other servants noticed and were whispering about my bruises. I decided to turn the tables on Naraku and steal money from _him_. Forgive me, Your Majesty, because I know I was actually stealing from you through him, but I had to help myself! There are magic users in the city that will break a blood tie curse, but at a hefty price, due to the danger of it. I stole Naraku's money so that I could have the curse broken and that Kanna and I could afford to run away."

"Little _slut_," spat Naraku. "I knew you would deceive me!"

Kagura stared at her former master coldly. "Deceiving you was the greatest thing I have ever done because it weakened you that much more," she said, tossing her head in triumph. She turned back to the king and bowed. "I don't know much more than that, Your Majesty. I became aware of Kagome's true identity because Naraku somehow figured it out. I did not know about the spy and I still do not know where the money Naraku stole has gone."

"And the money you stole?" asked the king.

"In an iron box, underneath one of the floorboards in my room," she replied. "I will return it with all my heart if you would please have the blood tie between Naraku and me broken."

The monarch nodded and gestured to one of the guards standing by the witch. "Go and inquire at the shrine. The city dwellers may be able to break it for a price, but I would prefer a priest's work in this matter." He stood up and clasped his hands behind his back. "And what should I do with you after the curse is broken, Kagura? You have admitted to fighting in the aid of our enemies, stealing money from my coffers and concealing the truth about a hidden princess. Any of these alone could get you an appointment with the executioner."

Kagome stepped forward. "Please, Your Majesty, don't punish her. She may have done some awful things, but it was in defense of her life and that of her sister."

"So she says, my girl," he replied.

The princess frowned and tried again. "Yes, perhaps she is lying. But she was always kind to me, even when she didn't know who I really was. She tried to help me, even if I repeatedly spurned her assistance. She wanted what was best for me – for all of us in the kitchen, actually – and would stand up to Naraku on numerous occasions. I'm sure that she saved us from many beatings, more than we had had to suffer if she wasn't there."

Sango outstretched a hand. "It's true, Your Majesty. Naraku took every impatience and frustration out on Kagura's backside. I'm sure that had she not borne it, we would have suffered. I have never seen her raise a hand to anyone."

The king sighed. "I've always had a weakness for the opinions of human women," he said, making his mate smile. "Very well. Kagura, you shall be free of any charges that could be brought against you. In fact, you will be promoted to head chef of the royal kitchen, in place of Naraku. Be sure that you do not waste this opportunity. And I want the royal accountant to see these twin ledgers of yours."

Kagura felt a swell of joy in her breast and bowed. "Thank you, my king," she said graciously.

"Soft-hearted fools," hissed Naraku.

The king turned to look at his former cook. "The truth is that I would have been arresting you anyway," he told the shocked demon. "Sango has told me a great many things about your character that I have seemed to overlook for all these years. I am disappointed in myself, but I am thankful that my staff will not have to suffer under you for another day. Now, before I have you dragged off to my dungeons, do you care to complete Kagura's tale? Tell us what you have done with my money and how you knew that your scullery maid was actually a princess."

"You're going to kill me anyway," seethed the cook. "Why shouldn't I take my secrets to the grave?"

"Perhaps you will spare yourself pain in death. I could make your execution private and painless, or I could have you dragged through the streets and then beheaded in the public square." He paused as his mate gave a soft sound of alarm. "My queen does not approve of such barbarity and I do not wish to use such methods, but I will. I feel that if you do not complete your tale, the danger you have brought to my kingdom will still exist."

Naraku chuckled, a laugh of deep and abiding mental instability. "Even if I tell you everything, you will not be able to stop it. The wheels have already begun to turn. Everything is in place in the demon world. You cannot stop it!"

The king raised an eyebrow. "If I cannot stop it, you might as well tell me," he said, sitting down in his throne again. "To save you from the humiliation of a public execution, at the least."

"If you manage to get that far," said the cook, his eyes gleaming with malice.

"Kagura, you know nothing then?" the king asked, sitting up straight in his chair.

The wind witch shook her head. "He would never have trusted me so much."

"I know his secrets."

The small, cold little voice came from the other side of the massive hall, but echoed clearly in their ears. Kanna stood by the doors, her thin, pale hands holding a mirror. She advanced slowly, her black eyes not moving from the face of her elder sister.

"You know what Naraku will not tell us?" asked the king, shifting his eyes to Kagura for a moment, his mouth creasing with doubt. "How?"

"I can see into the souls of men and youkai," said the girl, holding the mirror aloft. "It is my one skill in this world."

Kagura stared at her younger sister. "Kanna… how?"

"It is my gift. I do not know why this particular one was bestowed upon me."

The mirror flashed as she spoke and showed the image of Naraku, but it was distorted, almost beyond recognition. The blood red eyes and unruly mane of hair were the only features Kagome could distinguish. Otherwise, the chef was a mass of tentacles and long, multi-jointed legs. Several parts pulsed with demonic energy, blobs of indeterminate flesh and veins. Many of them recoiled from such a sight, but the king moved forward. "What is it?"

"Naraku's true self," answered Kanna, in her ethereal voice. "He is not demon but hanyou. A human named Onigumo wished to be immortal and gave his body to the demons, but Naraku yet possesses a human heart, although he has tried to escape it by giving himself a new name."

Kagome had never heard Kanna talk so much at one time. A glance at Kagura told her that the sister had never heard it either.

The mirror flashed again to show Naraku – looking as he always did – talking with a severe man with a robe of velvet. Kagome felt faint. "That's my father," she said softly. Shippo jumped up into her arms and hugged her. "Although he looks to be many years younger."

"Twenty-three years ago, shortly before he took the throne" said Kanna, as the two males in the image shook hands. "A contract between two twisted souls."

Another image sprang to the silver glass. Naraku was counting out money into the hands of a soldier bearing the marks of the Nakao palace guard. The image shifted to show Kagome's father, now older, receiving the money and allocating it towards weapons and new troops.

The king frowned at these visions. "If no one had noticed a large amount of money missing, this could not have been much help for Nakao," he said.

"Secrets were given in payment as well," whispered Kanna. "Secrets of defenses, roads and scouting missions. The last prize was that of the prince's night of weakness. It convinced Nakao that the time was right for an attack, after so many years of waiting."

Inuyasha made a soft noise of anger and glared at Naraku, but said nothing. The mirror had flashed again to show invading human troops, killing demons with the sheer force of superior numbers. They wore the colors of many human kingdoms, which Kagome knew to be her father's reluctant allies. Naraku was shown again, holding a dark orb in his hand as he surveyed the scenes of devastation. The king and his sons were dead at his feet, Izayoi was weeping in chains. The evil hanyou had taken the crown and placed it upon his own head.

"The future, if all continues as it is," Kanna murmured as the mirror's light faded.

Kagome stared at the chef who had tormented her for so long. "You were going to do all that so that you could become fully demon, weren't you?" she asked. "My father promised you the Shikon no Tama if you followed through with your half of the plan."

"And a healthy slice of the Taisho kingdom," sneered Naraku. "Eventually, I would have killed that coward you call 'father' and would have taken it all."

The princess kept her gaze steady. "He is not my father, not in spirit. I abhor the blood we share."

"Whatever he is to you, he is a fool. That vision of the future _will_ come to pass," he hissed, lifting his chin in triumph. "I may be a hanyou, but I am more powerful than any demon you can imagine. I will make the castle red with all of your blood."

"Enough," snapped the monarch, glaring at his former employee. "I do not have the time or patience for your self-absorbed prattle, Naraku. I have listened to you for too long. You will not be so confident when you are trapped within the dungeon without sun or stars."

Naraku simply smirked.

The king sat back in his throne and considered the creatures before him. "Take the traitorous chef away," he said, nodding at Naraku. "Give him only bread and water. I hear it is no better than what he gave to my servants." The two guards laid their massive hands on the hanyou and dragged him away to be bound and thrown into a solitary cell.

"Now," said the king, standing up again, "we have the matter of the Princess Kagome to consider. Inuyasha, you have been unusually silent. What have you to say? She is the woman you intended to mate after all, but she was also your scullery maid."

"Should we not discuss these visions that Kanna has shown to us?" asked Izayoi, her eyes wide and her skin pale.

The king nodded once. "In time. Everything is inextricably linked in these matters, my mate." He looked at his son again. "Well, Inuyasha?"

The white haired prince looked at the princess with a sad eye and drooping ears. "I want to protect her," he said. "I still want her to be my mate."

"And the princess? What do you say to the proposal?" the monarch asked.

Kagome shook her head. "I will not allow it. I cannot be with your son. I told him so this evening and my decision hasn't changed."

Inuyasha stepped forward. "But I know who you are now! Why can't you let me protect you?"

"Kanna says that there is devastating future before you, if something does not change," said the princess, as she frowned at her love. "I will return to my father's land, tell him that Taisho is aware of his plans and attempt to dissuade him."

"You said he would likely execute you," the prince argued.

"And he might, but I must try to avert this disaster."

Inuyasha bristled. "You think that youkai are not willing to go to war? I hate that stupid wolf, but he's right. We will fight for you! We went to war once over a princess, we can do it again. Now that we know about your father's plan, we can stop it! We can prepare and battle well. You won't be in danger. You can stay here, in the palace." He stopped and lowered his eyes. "I will give my life for your protection," he murmured.

Kagome sighed and stepped forward, so that they were close enough to touch, if either would reach out to the other. "Think about what you're saying, Inuyasha-sama. You would gladly give your life, but I would not gladly risk it! Imagine my pain if I heard that you had died on the battlefield. I would be lost and heartbroken without you." She stretched her arm out and lifted his chin to meet his eyes.

His gaze glittered with her pronouncement. "But you die if you leave! I'll go through the same thing!"

"But at least it will not cause a war," she said. "I'm leaving because I care for not only you but for your kingdom. This is more of a home to me than Nakao ever was, even when my mother was alive. I must go."

"We have assassins," suggested the prince, grabbing her hand as she withdrew it.

Kagome sighed. "Do you think that I could allow you to murder my father? Even if I deny that he is my father anymore, he is still my homeland's rightful king. I will not be guilty of inciting regicide," she admonished. She nodded at the king, who was frowning deeply at his son's suggestion. "I see that your father would not do it anyway."

He was quickly becoming agitated. "So, we'll find another solution! You can't leave!"

"I have to. I'm done with running away from my problems. I have ran and ran and have only left terrible problems for those left behind. I can't do that anymore. I keep saying that I'm a princess, but I have hardly acted my part! I have been selfish and I have not considered how my actions affect the kingdoms around me," she replied, a deep frown creasing her forehead. "I have responsibilities, and this planned invasion simply makes my choice clear. It's not just my life on the line anymore, but the lives of so many youkai and humans of my own home. I could stay if it was just me, but for war? Never."

"I fought so hard to find you!" he snapped, moving away again. "I won't lose you again!"

Irritation boiled up in her chest. "Fought to find me?" she repeated. "You did nothing but badger a girl that you thought was a worthless scullery maid! Even if my father was your kingdom's dearest ally, I could not remain with you."

"Oh!" cried the prince. "_Now_ we're getting to the real reason you want to go! Is your pride so absolute that you would rather enjoy death than be my mate after being my servant?"

"And is your pride so great that you will never admit that you did wrong?" retorted the princess. "Alright, I admit, my reason for leaving is not entirely selfless. I cannot forget my personal injuries. Your treatment of me as Thousandfurs was cruel and unnecessary. Leaving to save your kingdom is my ultimate reason for returning to my kingdom, but your behavior _already_ had convinced me to never appear as your princess again! Koga wasn't just right about your willingness to fight, Inuyasha, he was right about how you had treated me. I don't want either of you! You hurt me. Intentionally!"

There was an echo of silence as the prince considered this, but he took up his mantle once again with determination. "The invasion would still come, even if you were not discovered," said Inuyasha. "Why does it matter what you wear – kimono or furs – while the situation is dealt with?"

Kagome stamped her foot. "You don't get it! It's now in my own power to change this outcome," she said, pointing to Kanna's mirror. "And nothing changes the fact that you _were_ cruel to me. You don't even know the Princess of Nakao and you are willing to die for her? How quickly you would be disillusioned upon your return from battle!"

"If I did anything cruel to you, it was because you were being difficult and stubborn and you were my servant," he snapped.

"I was being difficult and stubborn because some _jackass_ who thought that he could any way he wished simply because he was royalty, decided to harass me constantly! You're exactly like the wolf prince!"

Inuyasha was stunned into silence again, but he decided to ignore the personal barb of the comparison to his enemy. "Well, maybe if you had told me anything, I wouldn't have harassed you!"

"You should not have felt that you had the _right_ to do so towards me," she countered, poking him in the chest. "No one deserves such treatment, especially not servants who only work for your pleasure and comfort! I may have been your inferior in social status, but Thousandfurs was still a living creature and deserved the respect that goes with that!"

"Good point," murmured Miroku.

Inuyasha's ears swiveled towards the diplomat. "Shut up, pervert!" he snapped.

"See?" asked Kagome incredulously. "You can't even treat your dearest friend with respect. Why should I have _any_ inclination to become your mate when you have shown no desire to be in a peaceable relationship? And, for your information, Thousandfurs is a better approximation of my true temperament than is the docile princess you danced with!"

"Well, maybe that's fine with me, ever think of that?" he questioned.

Kagome closed her eyes and turned her head away, the color returning to her cheeks. "You _hated_ me," she whispered. It seemed to echo just as much as their yelling had. "Don't deny it."

Inuyasha fell quiet, his eyes falling to the ground once again. Miroku cleared his throat. "If he won't deny it, I will. Kagome-sama, I believe that the prince identified with you more than anyone in the castle. In a way, he adored you as someone of his own race of outcasts. If he treated you poorly, I think it was only because he did not want a reminder of his place in such a group as that."

The princess smiled softly at the diplomat. "Thank you. I hear your words and take them to heart, but my decision remains. Whatever his reasons might have been, Inuyasha-sama was cruel to me. He hurt my heart and, on one occasion, my flesh. You say he adores me, but I only have seen the adoration he holds for his mysterious dancing partner, not for the true person I am. I am leaving as a princess to try to save this kingdom. I am leaving as Kagome to save the prince from a match that he will surely regret, once he realizes his mistake. He wants to take his phantom and yet he will end up with flesh and blood that will disappoint."

"That is my decision," growled the prince.

"And also mine," said Kagome, looking at him. "And I choose to leave."

The king stood up. "If that is your decision, Princess Kagome, we will abide by it." He nodded to himself. "I think that it may be best. If Naraku has been giving away our secrets, we may not have the upper hand in any battle with the humans."

"Father!" injected Inuyasha.

The prince received a deadly glare. "We will, however, miss you deeply," continued the sovereign. "I wish that you could have been my daughter, or as near to it as possible. You have the spirit that Inuyasha would need in a mate. But I must agree that his actions towards you deserve deep consideration. I am sorry that the final choice is not favorable."

Kagome bowed deeply. "As am I, Your Majesty," she replied softly.

Inuyasha suddenly turned and stomped towards the back door of the throne room, wrenching it open and leaving. For a few moments, they could hear his muttered swears as he moved down the hallway and then it was quiet once again. The king and queen sighed in tandem, their shoulders slumping. Sesshoumaru simply shook his head, his snowy locks trembling as he regretted having such a hasty, hot-tempered brother.

Izayoi stood up and stepped off the dais to take the princess in a tight embrace. "My mate _wishes_ to call you 'daughter' but I call you 'daughter' even now. If your father regains his faculties and allows your freedom, please remember to come to see your home here. You will always be welcome to stay with us, my dear."

"Thank you, my queen," Kagome murmured, returning the embrace.

Izayoi pulled away with tear-filled eyes, retreating to her mate's side. "You will leave soon then?" asked the king.

"As soon as I can," the princess replied, trying not to look towards where Inuyasha had exited.

"You need some suitable traveling clothes, a litter and attendants to take you back," observed the king. "All will be provided for you by midday tomorrow."

Kagome bowed. "Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty."

"And I will have Inuyasha return the three treasures you gave him, of course," said Izayoi.

"No, thank you, Izayoi-sama," said the princess, shaking her head firmly. "They were gifts and they remain gifts."

The queen's eyes widened. "But they must be royal treasures!"

Kagome nodded. "They are, but I am the keeper of the Artifacts and I choose to leave them in a kingdom where they will be cared for properly. The arrowhead pierced the heart of a hanyou once and Inuyasha-sama told me that the sword hilt was from Tetsusaiga, your famed blade. So you can see that both of those items would be far better suited in your kingdom, where they will be respected. As for the Shikon no Tama, now that it is complete, I don't believe I can protect it anymore. Truthfully, it needed no protection before, but if you put the pieces together again, it may be restored to its former power and I have no way of shielding it against avaricious youkai."

"Thank you," said the king, stepping up to her. "We will protect the Shikon no Tama carefully, use the Fang judiciously and revere the gilt Arrowhead as the sacred weapon of times long past."

"I would like Inuyasha-sama to have the opportunity to use the jewel for his own purposes, if he wishes it," said the princess.

The royal family looked at one another. "For what reason does my son need the Shikon? He wanted it once, I know, but now?"

"I believe he may yet love Kikyo," Kagome replied. "I did not bring it up when he was still here, for I think it would embarrass him if I remembered it, but the memory is burned into my heart. There is no way I _cannot_ remember. He wants to become fully human and marry Kikyo. He told me that it had once been his greatest desire and, now that I have spurned him, I think that the opportunity must be given to him once again."

"Is this the true reason you rejected him?" asked Izayoi.

Kagome frowned. "I simply want his happiness. I know that the idea of him turning completely human may be alien to you, but if it is truly his wish, I hope that you would consider giving him the choice."

"I do not like it," said the king, shaking his head. "My son was born a hanyou and a hanyou he should remain, if he would simply listen to Nature. I think it is equally unwise to use the Shikon as the vehicle for this desire to become human, if what the stories say are true about its ability to become tainted. I will think on it carefully. I hope, my girl, that you are incorrect and that he long ago abandoned that quest. But I will think on it."

"That is all I ask, King…" She broke off and looked at him with a sad sort of smile. "I do not know your given name. It seems ridiculous that I do not know it, after all that has happened, much of it in the past hour or so."

The monarch chuckled and matched her smile. "Toga. That is my name. Use it freely, my girl."

Kagome bowed again. "Yes, Toga-sama." She suppressed a yawn. It was far past midnight. Shippo had fallen asleep by her feet and even Sango was leaning heavily against Miroku's shoulder.

"Perhaps we should retire for the night," observed Toga. "Kagura, would you be so good as to fetch Princess Kagome's things from her room in the servants' hall? She will be sleeping in a room more fit to her true station."

"Yes, Your Majesty." She bowed and took off to Kagome's former cupboard.

"I do hope you're right about her," said the king, approaching the princess as he watched Kagura retreat.

Kagome nodded. "I am, Toga-sama."

"And I hope you are incorrect about my son's cruelty. One day he will be king."

The princess lowered her head. "One day, yes." She looked up at Toga, but his golden eyes held no deceit. "I know he has had a difficult life, even if it is one of privilege. I think that his disappointments have made him bitter, and I hope that I'm not contributing to that, although I fear that I am. But he does have a good heart, and I don't think you need to be anxious for your kingdom. He just needs… well, I'm not sure what he needs. He'll find it though. He's certainly determined enough."

"He believes that he needs you, Kagome," said the monarch, frowning slightly.

"Maybe now, he thinks that, but I doubt I would do anything but aggravate his temper on a daily basis," replied the princess with a sorrowful smile. "I stand by my words, Your Majesty. He would be sorely disappointed with the princess he ended up with if he chose me. He still expects his mysterious dancing partner, but he would get a real person. He needs a better mate than I could provide."

Toga sighed. "You love my son though."

Kagome paused, surprised at his candor. "More than anything, I love him," she finally said.

"Perhaps then, he is not the only one who has judged the other too quickly." He watched her carefully as she tried to formulate a reply to his observation. "But I speak too freely when I am tired. Allow me to get you an attendant to escort you to your quarters," he said evenly, bowing to her with a little bend of his spine before leaving to summon his staff.

A few minutes later, everyone had bid each other goodnight and a servant was leading the princess to her room. It was down the hall from the queen's chamber and more sumptuous than her room had been in Nakao. Its hangings and cushions were all a deep plum color, making it seem as if one could just sink into the room. Even Inuyasha's room had been more sparsely furnished "But then," she said softly to herself, "he is a male and he would certainly choose to have less clutter."

She sat down heavily on the futon as she thought of him, as if everything preceding that moment had been an unconscious reaction and only now did she realize what had happened in the throne room. She had turned down Inuyasha twice in one night, she recognized, although her heart had been calling out for another choice. The king had even seen that indecision.

"It was wise, though," she said, once again speaking aloud. "He would never have loved me more than a few weeks. I am not so easily dealt with as I was when I was his dancing partner. And I must not forget that he still yearned after Kikyo at New Year's."

But Kagome found that her cheeks were wet with tears, although she had not felt them fall.

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A/N: I had to pack so much explanation into this chapter, I'm surprised it wasn't longer. I tried not to make it preachy and boring. And I forgot Koga's scene until the last minute. Such trials with this chapter, after I'd thought I had finished it! Anyway, please review! There are only 3 chapters left to go after all. Thanks!


	17. The Heart's Blood

A/N: So there's only two chapters left after this! I just wanted you all to know that you won't be without me for long (I hope). I'm already planning a new story, which will be Sesshoumaru/Kagome. It will be canon-verse and the tentative title is _The Once and Future Taiyoukai_. Not completely settled on that yet. Anyway, I hope that you will all read that once I begin – even those of you who are staunch I/K fans. So am I, but we all need a change of pace, eh? Haha. Enjoy the chapter.

Thousandfurs

Chapter 17: The Heart's Blood

Ayame threw her cloak to the floor and looked around. The room was beautifully detailed with lacquered wood and tiny oil lamps and the futon appeared lush enough to dive into, but it struck her as quite small. Smaller than she would have expected as the honored guest of King Toga and his illustrious mate, and it was certainly smaller than expected as she was to be the new mate of Taisho's prince.

"Where is Inuyasha-sama's room?" she asked the servant, who was now silently unpacking her trunk. "From here?"

The servant looked up with wide eyes and Ayame forced herself not to blush. She had breached royal etiquette already! She couldn't believe it. She was not supposed to demand to see her new mate until she was sent for by him. Not the other way around. She heard her grandfather's admonishments in her ears, even though she had left him back in the wolf kingdom. "I mean, I would like to know where I might go, when he calls for me. I've never been here before," she said, only coloring slightly.

"Upstairs and to the left, Your Highness," said the green-eyed demoness, as she folded her clothes onto the closet shelves. "You weren't expected until this evening, and he may not call you until then," she added, emboldened by the princess's apprehension.

"Oh. Well!" Ayame sat down on the futon and looked around again. There wasn't much to entertain herself with here. She wanted to ask the servant where the library was, or perhaps the dojo, but she bit her tongue. She was a royal without land or claim to any tangible throne and she knew she was very fortunate to be here at all. She wasn't stupid either – the servants were likely already talking about how she was the only princess willing to mate with the hanyou prince and how she had been jilted by Koga. The truth was that she was just as desperate as Inuyasha seemed to be. She shouldn't add fuel to the fire by appearing like a country bumpkin. Anyone who was _anyone_ had been to the Taisho kingdom.

"Will you be changing, princess?" asked the servant, a carefully discreet eye sweeping over the furs of the wolf demoness.

Ayame looked down and realized that even the servant didn't think that her traditional furs were appropriate for royalty. True, they did come a little far up the leg…

She turned to the servant and nodded. "Yes, I will be. I'll wear one of the silk kimono. I don't particularly care which one." Please, pick for me, she begged silently.

The servant gazed at the scanty selection and plucked out a pink kimono with large flowers embroidered upon it. It was not nearly as fine as the kimono the lesser court ladies wore – the servant could see places where the sewing was not even and places the silk threads had been pulled slightly out – but it was better than the old-fashioned styles that seemed to make up the rest of the poor princess's wardrobe. The demoness shook it gently and laid it out upon the futon before turning back for the proper undergarments.

"Oh, this one is my favorite," murmured Ayame. She ran her hands along it and winced as she noticed the flecks of a stain on the hem of the sleeve. Blood, probably. She had once been caught in a fight in this kimono, on her way to this very kingdom, to attend her first dance as a delegate of her grandfather's nonexistent kingdom. That was shortly after Koga's family had taken over the throne, when her grandfather had still cared about his place in society. After the failed attempt to attend the Taisho dance, however, he had lost his gusto. Let Koga's family take the throne, he had said. They were the stronger pack. That was how it worked in wolf tribes. Let it go, Ayame, he had said.

She hadn't been able to, of course. She had gone to Koga and begged him to let her family have a place in the new regime. Wasn't that fair? The civil war among the wolves had torn everything apart after the old king had died without an heir. Koga's pack and her grandfather's had been the main contenders and Koga's had won. They accepted that, but they deserved something! Koga's father was frail – the war had been hard on him. Koga needed guidance from an experienced leader like her grandfather. It would show the rest of the wolf tribes that the ruling pack held no grudges! For solidarity!

Koga had laughed in her face. "Isn't it enough that you're still called a 'princess'?" he had snapped. "And your wretched grandfather is still considered a king, even if it is of his own pathetic pack. Go away, little girl, and be thankful that I didn't kill you where you stand."

That was how it worked in wolf tribes. Let it go, Ayame.

But he must have given some thought to her proposal, because it was only a short time later that he gave her his own proposal of an arranged mating. She had been appalled at the idea at first. He was arrogant and rude and… well, she didn't much care for the bandana thing. Her grandfather, however, had insisted upon the match. Remember solidarity, little Ayame?

It took years to work out the arrangement. It dragged on and on, as her family had nothing to offer except a female who was ripe for bearing pups, and Koga's family had everything to lose. And then when everything was finally settled upon, he had sent her grandfather a short note, breaking off the engagement entirely.

He had met someone who had better suited his interests at one of the Taisho dances. Ayame wondered if she was still here, if she would see her at the mating ceremony. She wondered if it would be painful, to see this new female with her wolf prince, but decided that she would not care. She had been pushed into that engagement, and she had taken this one out of desperation, but no one need know that. She would carry herself with pride, even if she were mating a hanyou.

"Princess?"

Ayame lifted her head to see the servant waiting patiently to dress her in the pink silk. "Oh, of course." She stood and allowed the servant to take off the furs and clothe her in the kimono.

But the servant simply stood there. "Your Highness, wouldn't you like to go to the bath house first?" she asked, an eyebrow arching primly.

"Oh, yes. How silly of me," she said. "Where is it?"

"I will show you to it, Your Highness," said the servant, stepping towards the door with the kimono in hand.

Ayame followed with a sigh, wondering if she would ever get this right.

The trip was fairly short, as Ayame had been placed on a lower floor, usually reserved for lesser royalty when the palace wasn't packed with visiting nobles. But of course she was able to use the private royal baths and she was pleased to see that they were entirely vacant. It was still early in the morning and she imagined that most nobility wouldn't be up at this hour.

The servant untied her hair and doused her with perfumed soaps that tickled her sensitive nose. It was hot and steamy and Ayame's limbs remembered the aches of a long trip as she tried to relax. Her enjoyment of the solitude was cut short by the entrance of someone else. Ayame sat up and looked over to the barrier dividing the baths from the entryway. She could smell a human girl! "Hello?" she called, placing a hand on her towel.

A dark head popped around the corner. "Oh, I'm sorry," said the girl. "I was just going to take a quick bath. Do you mind?"

Ayame relaxed. She had never seen a human before, as her craggy mountain home wasn't particularly comfortable for them, but it was clear that the human had no qualms about bathing alongside a demon. She must be nobility, decided the wolf princess. And if that was how human nobles acted, she must act their equal. "No, of course I don't mind."

"Oh thank goodness. You wouldn't believe how much I need this right now." She came out and slid into the water with a natural grace, glancing over at Ayame when she was comfortably settled. "I'm sorry. I'm being rude. I'm Kagome."

She tried not to stare at this strange creature as she pinned up her beautiful black hair. She noticed a rather crude-looking necklace around the girl's neck, but ignored it. "I'm Princess Ayame, of the wolf tribes," replied the demoness.

Kagome's hands froze. "You're Ayame?" she asked softly. Without waiting for an answer, she nodded. "Of course. I heard that you were coming today. I don't think they expected you until much later this evening though. Well, it's nice to meet you, Ayame-sama."

The wolf tried not to hear the sudden chill in her companion's voice. "Have you been here long?"

"Months."

Ayame's eyes widened. "Really? Are you a special guest of the Taisho kingdom? I know that most of the guests have only been here a few days."

"I wasn't particularly special, no. I've just been here for awhile." Kagome looked at the wolf and sighed. "I'm being rude again with this cryptic nonsense. You will know by the end of the day, after all, if not at the end of this very hour. I am the Princess of Nakao. Inuyasha-sama asked that I become his mate and I refused him."

"And that's why they called me," finished the wolf girl, nodding solemnly.

"I'm sorry about that. I didn't know that Toga-sama had another mate in mind for Inuyasha until he mentioned it last night. I didn't even remember _that_ until this morning when I woke up." Kagome gave her a genuine look of sympathy. "I'm sure you'll hear the entire story from someone, most likely Miroku. Have you met them yet?"

"Them? Wouldn't Miroku be one youkai?"

The princess smiled. "He is another human, Inuyasha's best friend, although the prince would never admit to that. I say 'them' because he has recently become engaged to marry Sango, a girl from my kingdom who came here separately. If you want to know the entire story, all you have to do is ask him." The smile dropped from her lips and her brown eyes hardened. "No matter what you do, don't listen to Inuyasha's opinion. I don't think he really understands why I turned him down. And I prefer not to be remembered as he wants to remember me."

Ayame nodded. "I think I understand," she said. As a princess in a largely patriarchal tribe, she was accustomed to not hearing everything. She filled in the gaps herself, which frequently led to wildly inaccurate ideas. She was thankful that she would have someone to fill in these gaps for her. "Is Inuyasha a decent youkai?"

Kagome smiled again and closed her eyes. "He will be kind to you in private only. Don't take offense to that, it's just his way. Stand up to him occasionally, but not so much that it makes him belligerent. He is a decent youkai, yes, but he has several faults that might make someone believe otherwise. Don't listen to them. He's quite worthy of a good mate." She turned her head and Ayame found herself looking into the princess's liquid brown eyes. "He needs someone like you, you see. Not like me. You give off an aura of serenity. He'll like that, even if he doesn't consciously notice it. You're even making me calm, and I'm probably going home to my death today. Not to mention that I should probably be hideously jealous of you right now. But I'm not."

"Jealous?" asked Ayame, her eyebrows raising at this oddly sweet speech. "But you refused Inuyasha-sama. Why would you be jealous? And why are you going to your death?"

"I'm going to my death because I defied my father in coming here, basically. But you can ask Miroku about that." She sighed and turned her head away. "I should be jealous because soon, you will be the mate of Inuyasha, who I love."

The wolf still didn't understand why she would have refused the male she loved, but decided not to press it. Kagome appeared fragile at the moment – tears were glistening in the corners of her eyes. "Do you know who Koga has chosen to become his mate?" she asked, trying to change the subject. "He met her here, and I would like to see who it is."

Kagome let out a bark of a laugh and wiped at her eyes. "Oh, my, this is quite the meeting for both of us." She gave the wolf a grim smile. "Koga decided I would be his mate. Needless to say, I didn't accept him either. Why do you ask?"

"You had them both?" Ayame's eyes widened. She tried to push down the pit of jealousy in her own throat and succeeded after a few moments. After all, this girl was going to her death. The last thing she needed was a simple wolf demoness making her last few moments of freedom into a trial. "Are you a sorceress?" she asked, just to make sure.

The princess shook her head. "No, just a girl with a few pretty kimono."

The wolf princess shifted uneasily under Kagome's questioning look. "Koga was my intended mate before he broke it off. He said he had met someone else."

The smile slid off of Kagome's face entirely. "Oh, Kami. Ayame-sama, I'm so sorry. I had no idea." She buried her face in her damp hands. "I've ruined your entire romantic life, haven't I? And I didn't even notice."

It was Ayame's turn to face away. "It's alright. I don't mind really."

Kagome's hands came away from her cheeks, leaving trails of red where the hot water had flushed her skin. "Do you love Koga?"

Ayame considered the question for a moment, before deciding that the princess's truth must have a truthful response in kind. "Yes," she replied, nodding. "Not all the time though. He could be quite horrible to me. The first time I met him, our tribes weren't warring over the throne. He was older than me and we were fighting a different foe. He saved my life. He promised me that we would become mates one day. He doesn't remember that now. He said it would simply be a political alliance and truthfully, I don't know why I still love him, but I do. I was just a child then, I should get over it!"

"But he's been good to you since then," prodded the other princess.

"Yes, he has. Every time I meet him I feel unsure of whether I'll receive gifts or death threats." She scratched behind her ear. "Maybe I only love the good, kind Koga."

Kagome nodded. "I feel that way about Inuyasha sometimes."

The girls nodded in unison with faraway looks in their eyes. Ayame finally shook herself. "We should get out. My skin is beginning to wrinkle."

The other princess laughed lightly. "This is the first proper bath I've had in ages. I'm staying in for a bit longer, wrinkles be damned. It was nice to meet you, Ayame-sama." She smiled at the girl, although it didn't quite reach her eyes. "I wish I could stay for the ceremony, but I think it would be rather inappropriate."

Ayame nodded once. "I understand. Have a safe trip home, Kagome-sama."

The wolf princess left the human girl in the bathhouse and returned to her room, quickly slipping into the silk kimono her servant had picked out earlier. We could have been friends, she thought, as she sat in front of the fire. How crushing that I am her replacement, when it's the last thing either of us want.

"When does Princess Kagome leave?" she asked her servant, who was placing her breakfast on the table.

"Soon, Your Highness. After eating a bit of something, I would imagine. Half of the court is out there already to see her off. Would you like to join them?" she asked, bordering impertinence.

Ayame guessed that the servant begrudged her for having to remain here while the infamous princess was leaving town. "Alright. Let's go then. The breakfast can wait," she said suddenly, realizing she wanted to see Kagome's grand send-off as well. After all, the girl had treated her as an equal, offering advice and even the beginnings of friendship. Ayame felt sorry that the acquaintance had already died in its infancy.

She gathered the heavy material of her kimono and allowed the servant to lead the way to the front entryway of the castle. The servant had been right – many demons and quite a few humans were heading in the same direction, hoping to catch a last glimpse of the princess. While they all moved towards a side exit, however, Ayame was led to the very front, where the king and queen stood with two white-haired males that the wolf princess could see were Inuyasha and his half-brother Sesshoumaru and Sesshoumaru's family. Inuyasha's face was particularly noticeable, drawn with the unmistakable signs of pain and rage.

She stood back and out of sight as the royal family went to the doorway. She did not want to meet them right now, when her presence could be seen as an intrusion upon this sad parting. As they had left the doors open, Ayame was able to stand in the shadow of one of them and watch, relatively unseen.

A litter was outside, at the bottom of the stairs already. Servants stood at attention, ready to lift their cargo with a word from the king. A large trunk was secured to the back of the litter, its brass bearings shining with their freshness. But the Princess Kagome was still absent.

Inuyasha's back suddenly went rigid and Ayame watched him turn towards the door, his eyes sliding over her, unseeing. When the wolf princess turned too, she could see that Kagome was descending the stairs, flanked by two other humans. The man dressed in purple and blue was probably Miroku, she guessed, which would mean that the girl in pink was Sango. Kagome held hands with the female human, a terrified expression in her eyes. They were murmuring to each other. "I don't know if I can," Ayame heard Kagome say.

"But you must. You've decided," replied Sango.

The steely expression that Ayame had seen in the bathhouse slipped over the princess's face as she nodded. "Yes, of course, you're right." She released the girl's hand and brought out a slip of paper from her sleeve. "And this is for you," Kagome said, a bit more clearly, handing the parchment to her friend.

Sango unraveled it and choked on a sound of happiness, turning her face towards her intended. "It's the note you wrote to me," she said. "I thought Kagome-sama had burned it for me. I had asked her to!"

Miroku leaned over and smiled. "I spent ages trying to get that right. I'm glad you didn't burn it, Kagome. My life's passion is in that letter!"

The princess blushed prettily. "As if I would destroy something so loving."

Sango looked around. "What about Shippo? Don't you want to say goodbye to him as well?"

Kagome lowered her eyes. "I said goodbye to him earlier, as well as the kitchen staff. He didn't want to be here, really. I think he blames Inuyasha entirely for my leaving."

A shadow fell across the threshold. "Are you going to keep us waiting forever?" growled Inuyasha, his eyes narrowed.

Kagome lifted her chin, knowing that he had heard her. "No, I am not," she replied, moving forward with new purpose.

"Thank you, Kagome-sama, for keeping this letter." said Sango, hurrying to keep up with her friend.

The princess's expression softened. "It was no trouble at all, Lady Sango." They shared a sad smile and stopped suddenly, very near to Ayame, to embrace. Miroku stood silently, a sullen expression on his face, as he watched the crowds outside. When they pulled away, Kagome wiped tears from her eyes and laughed. "I'm going to miss you!" she said, unnecessarily.

Sango nodded and they stepped outside with one arm supporting each other. Inuyasha drew back at their presence, but the king and queen added their own hugs to the princess, who was now freely crying. She exchanged a bow with Sesshoumaru, and even tried to hold back the tears, but ultimately failed in that endeavor. The younger king made no sign of his infamous disgust for humans. This may have been for the sake of the tiny human girl standing next to him, who Ayame stared at freely from her hidden spot. Finally, Kagome turned to face Inuyasha.

The whole courtyard hushed itself immediately, everyone leaning forward to hear their words, although the pair would hardly do their audience a favor by shouting.

"Goodbye, Inuyasha-sama," she said softly, bowing to her loved one. "Thank you for…" She faltered and turned down her eyes, leaving the sentiment unfinished.

"Keh," scoffed the prince, looking away. "Go home, why don't you?"

"Inuyasha," murmured the king warningly.

The queen glared at her son. "Take the necklace off of her, Inuyasha. She can't go home with that thing on her neck and you're the only one that can remove it."

The hanyou hesitated, but stepped forward to the girl, who surprised them all by retreating with a protective hand around her throat. Ayame saw the necklace of beads and fangs that she had noticed in the bathhouse. What was so special about that, she wondered. "How am I supposed to get it off if you avoid me?" he growled, trying to keep his voice down. As it was, the audience began to titter with the scandal.

"I'm sorry," she said, more to his parents than to the prince. "But I don't want it removed, if that's alright."

"But, my dear, it will stay on forever. _Nothing_ will remove it," said the queen.

Kagome shrugged. "I just… don't want it removed. It's alright, really." She smiled at Izayoi and continued with an eerie lightness in her voice. "It will be removed once my head is on the executioner's block, after all."

The queen paled. "Oh, my dear girl…" she murmured.

"It's okay," said the princess, much more seriously. "I would like to keep it." She kept her eyes down, but even Ayame could hear the desperation in the girl's voice. Her heart ached for her one-time companion.

"Very well," said the king, laying a hand on his mate's shoulder. He looked to the litter and sighed, seemingly unwilling to let the young girl go. Ayame wondered from her hiding spot if Toga-sama would ever hold _her_ in such high regard as he clearly did Kagome.

"Kagome-sama," a new voice called out to the princess and Ayame saw a flea demon bounce up the stairs. "Kagome-sama, we should go. It is already well into the morning. We should return with all haste."

Toga smiled in a way that betrayed all of his sadness over the parting. "Of course. Myoga-san, it's been an honor to meet you and I wish you well, along with your princess." He produced a scroll from his sleeve. "This is a letter to your king, apologizing for our unintentional retention of his daughter. It says that we would love to have her return, as she was a delight to have around."

"My father will rip it up," said Kagome.

"I know," he replied. "That's why I'm telling you now what it says." He handed the scroll to the princess, as Myoga was unable to carry it.

Kagome cast one last glance around at the royal family, her eyes darkening slightly when she realized Inuyasha was keeping his gaze firmly on the ground. "Goodbye," she said, bowing.

She turned quickly, not letting her eyes meet any of their faces and climbed into the litter with the assistance of a servant. The heavy muslin drapes immediately obscured her from view and any sound that may have escaped was covered by the sound of the court, murmuring and clapping for the mysterious princess. Sango was crying, her tears muffled by Miroku's shoulder. The queen kept wiping at her eyes. Inuyasha kicked at the ground, muttering to himself. Eventually, though, the litter was carried to the palace gates and there was nothing more to stare at. It was time to go inside and continue life without Kagome.

Ayame waited patiently as the royal family reentered the palace and shut the heavy doors. "Well," said the queen, a bit too brightly, "we should probably go greet Ayame, shouldn't we, my mate?" She put a hand on the king's arm.

"What? Oh, yes, I'd forgotten." He smiled at her as they stood in the foyer, unsure of what words could bring this chapter of life to a close so that they could start the next. "Let's go then."

Ayame moved back, trying to escape before the monarchs turned towards her, but Inuyasha was not ready to leave quiet yet. "How many guards did you give her? I counted only six." He frowned at his father. "Six doesn't seem like enough."

"Another two dozen waited outside the gates for her, Inuyasha," said Toga sternly.

Inuyasha scowled at his father's tone, but lapsed into silence. Ayame wondered if she would ever manage to get that sour look off of his face once they were mated. "We should really go greet the princess," said Izayoi, almost pleading to escape the awkward silence of the group.

"Why?" drawled Sesshoumaru. "She's standing right over there."

The royal family, plus Miroku and Sango, turned to see Ayame by the doors, looking as if she would rather be running far away than be with this miserable bunch. But she remembered her manners and bowed. "Good morning, Your Majesties, Your Highnesses, Lord and Lady," she said demurely. "Forgive me, I was just… ah…" What was she doing there still? Mentioning the Nakao princess might rub them the wrong way. "I was just waiting for your discussion to finish before I introduced myself." It was a horrible breach of etiquette (again!) but it was preferable over spying. She finished with a brilliant smile.

Only Izayoi and Toga returned the gesture with small smiles of their own. "Of course. It was so rude of us to keep you waiting, my dear," said the queen, coming forward and clasping Ayame's hands with her own. "My, you're lovelier than even your grandfather said you were."

"Thank you," said the wolf princess, curtseying.

The king smiled and bowed, with a few muttered words of greeting. Ayame did not begrudge him for this lukewarm welcome. His mind was clearly on other matters. "Well, come and meet Inuyasha," said Izayoi. "I'm sure you would like to acquaint yourself with your future mate, after all." She turned and looked to where Inuyasha had been standing, but now there was only a gap between Sesshoumaru and Miroku.

"That boy," growled Toga. He took a breath and smiled at Ayame. "Well, I suppose the meeting with my son will have to wait. Would you like to take morning tea with us, Princess Ayame?"

"I would like that very much," she replied, curtseying again.

The group withdrew with Ayame in the midst. Her future mate couldn't stand to be around her for two seconds! Oh, she realized, this was going to be a true trial.

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Tea went so long that they ate lunch too. Ayame loved listening to stories of her new mate from his parents, while Sesshoumaru only deigned to speak when it could add something disparaging to the tale. Miroku and Sango volunteered the tale that Kagome had told Ayame to ask about (much of it was new to the king and queen as well and enraptured everyone, except the eternally disinterested Sesshoumaru). She found that her new sister-in-law was charming and handled her mate with what seemed like careless ease, and her new nephew was adorable. She wasn't quite sure what to think of Rin yet. Cute, undoubtedly, but she was human and living with the most fearsome demon in the west. Ayame couldn't quite get that to mesh in her head.

It was a good bit into the afternoon before they all rose to the feet. The kings had political matters to discuss and the queens were planning to take a turn around the garden with the children. Miroku and Sango looked relieved at having a chance to be alone. "Come with us, dear," said the queen, as they all stretched out their legs. "We can be free of these cumbersome males for awhile and the political talk."

Ayame readily agreed. After the long trip and then the marathon of sitting, her muscles were screaming for some exercise. "Will I be meeting Inuyasha-sama formally tonight?"

Her question made everyone in the room pause. Izayoi clucked her tongue. "I don't know," she said slowly before giving her new daughter-in-law an apologetic smile. "He's being very difficult, you know. I'm afraid you're going to have to deal with not only his normal moodiness, but the pain that he feels over losing Kagome. A pain that he won't properly recognize, of course. We'll see if we can wrangle him into the throne room this evening before dinner though."

"Regardless, you and he will become mates," added the king, with a set jaw. "You are a lovely girl and quite worthy to be our son's mate."

Ayame realized belatedly that the long tea and lunch had been an interview with her in-laws. Thank Kami she had passed the test! She had only acted like herself and they seem to have liked her. She could have collapsed in relief. A tickling at the back of her brain, however, told her that she would never be equal to the princess that had just left. It was a game of revolving doors, and they were ending up with a lesser prize. She tried not to feel bad about this.

Izayoi seemed to read the girl's mind and gave her a light embrace. "You are a new and wonderful creature in our lives and we will not judge you against anyone of the past," she assured her quietly.

The doors opened almost before the last word fell from the queen's mouth. Inuyasha stood there, his shadow encroaching upon their pleasant parting. Ayame almost didn't recognize him though. Instead of wearing the apple red haori that he always donned, he was swathed in dusky brown, complete with a hood pulled up over his dog ears. His golden eyes, more resembling Sesshoumaru's than his own, immediately found the king. "I'm going after her," he said simply.

Toga scowled and crossed his arms. "This is unacceptable, Inuyasha. The princess is gone. Ayame is here, which of course you knew since you practically ran from her this morning. Come and meet your new mate."

The golden gaze flickered over the wolf princess. "I don't want her. I want Kagome."

"You'll start a war, Inuyasha," said Izayoi. "And she made her choice! Why are you running after her now, after you treated her so poorly – again – this morning when she left? Shame on you, Inuyasha! You should think about someone other than yourself!"

"I am," he snarled, making his own mother pull back a bit. "There will be no heirs to this kingdom without Kagome."

Ayame felt the barb keenly, although he had certainly forgotten her once again. The king, however, had not. "You have a mate _here_! She will be the mother of your sons. Kagome rejected your proposal and you must live with that!"

Inuyasha stalked into the room and over to Sango, taking her wrist into one of his shaking hands. "You know, don't you?" he said. It wasn't pleading. Sango's eyes were wide with surprise and apprehension. He was in earnest. "You know she is in love with me!"

"Of course she is," spat back the girl, annoyed at the pressure around her wrist. There would be bruises. Even Miroku looked angry. "Everyone knows _that_, Inuyasha!" She dropped the honorific on purpose. "Your father knows that! She loved you deeply, every part of you, even the part that abused her as Thousandfurs. But you don't love her!"

He dropped her arm and turned to the rest. "Why do all of you keep _saying_ that?" he demanded. "What makes her so capable of loving me when I was a bastard to her but prevents me from loving my servant?"

Silence met this question. Inuyasha whirled back, facing Miroku this time. "Come with me, pervert, and help me get her back," he said fiercely. "I'm not letting her go, whatever that wench thinks!"

"And if she maintains that you do not love her as Kagome? What about the threat of war?" answered the diplomat, as he rubbed his love's wrist where his friend had held her. "She won't let you, you know. She's too good-hearted for that. Take Ayame as your mate and forget about Kagome."

Inuyasha's eyes flashed back to the wolf princess and she felt the need to run from this deranged animal. "You," he snapped. "You don't really want to be my mate, do you? A hanyou's wife?"

Ayame hesitated. "Not at the moment," she answered truthfully.

"You were Koga's woman," he continued, to which Ayame nodded. "Wouldn't you rather have him?"

"Yes," she replied.

"Why?" he demanded.

The wolf princess paused and looked at her in-laws, who were staring back with interest, but not anger. "Because I love him," she said with a shrug. Her fear of this hanyou was lessening by the moment. He was determined, but not dangerous. Not yet.

"He treats females like crap," affirmed Inuyasha. "So why do you love him?"

Ayame remembered her conversation with Kagome that morning, when she had tried to figure out the answer to that. "I don't know," she replied. "I just do. He can be good to me too."

Inuyasha appeared disgusted with this answer, but nodded. "Alright, so don't you want the chance to let him be good to you? Rather than be with me for the rest of your life? I promise you that I will never be happy with you."

The princess thought of Koga and his pale blue eyes as he smiled at something she said. Or the time she had felt so warm in his embrace, that one precious time that they had been alone for their goodbyes and he had wrapped her in his arms. She looked up at the hanyou. "I will never be happy with you either," she realized aloud. "I will always love Koga."

Inuyasha looked at his father in silence, who glowered back. "And you, Inuyasha?" he said, with an arch of his eyebrow. "You will be happy with no other female than Kagome?"

"Only Kagome," he replied.

"Do you love her then?"

Inuyasha lowered his head. "How can I know that if she won't even be with me?" he replied. "And if I did love her, I'm not telling you first, Father."

Toga sighed and looked at Ayame, who felt a shiver of freedom even before he spoke. "We have brought you all this way," he said, a half-apology.

Ayame shook her head and smiled. "It's alright. Koga's here, somewhere, and that is enough. He and I will have to talk a bit."

The king nodded. "So you do not mind?"

The wolf princess turned to Inuyasha and bowed. "Go with all my blessings, Inuyasha-sama. I hope you find her well and that she decides to return to you." She kept the meeting she had had with the other princess that morning a secret. She knew they loved one another, but she wasn't going to announce it for them.

Inuyasha grunted his acceptance and turned back to his father. "I'm going then."

"Take Miroku with you," said the king. He put a hand out to stop his son as he tried to escape. "If this ends in war, Inuyasha… I don't know what will happen."

"I'll fight for her alone if I have to," muttered the hanyou, before disappearing through the door.

Ayame watched as Miroku hurried along after him and felt a lightness in her heart that had not been there for ages. She turned her nose to the air and sniffed, immediately detecting Koga's presence in the castle. "I think I have to go too," she said smiling.

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Kagome sat back on the cushions of the litter, which was big enough to accommodate a good-sized youkai. The sounds of the Taisho capital were long behind her and her tears had run dry, although she still had a hiccup or two in her. Myoga had tried to comfort her, but was now sleeping on the opposite side she rested, exhausted by all the fussing he had done over her.

The litter moved with a rhythmic swaying that was sending her to sleep too. Only the sounds of her guards' horses and equipment was keeping her awake. She wondered if the demons would walk straight through the night, or if they would stop and make camp. She wondered if they remembered that she needed to _eat_ sometime.

She reclined fully and closed her eyes, her hand tracing the edges of her subjugation necklace. The queen had given her an entire trunk of new clothes for the journey, including a few fine silk kimono that would never do for traveling. It was generous and optimistic that she thought that Kagome would live long enough to wear all the finery. But the princess felt that her most precious gift was the necklace affixed around her neck, although the gift had been largely unintentional.

She wondered what would have happened if she had never gone to that first dance. Would she have lived the rest of her life as a scullery maid, until the day that Naraku decided to beat the life out of her? Or would she have been discovered and killed by an assassin on her way to the well to get water for Inuyasha's breakfast? Neither outcome was particularly appealing, but then, neither was this future that she was heading towards.

Just as she felt the soft darkness of sleep surrounding her, the litter jerked to a stop. Kagome sat up and listened as the guards' horses pawed at the ground and the servants carrying the litter began to whisper. "What's going on, Myoga? Can you hear?" she asked the flea, sure that he was awake.

The minute demon hopped up to her. "I cannot hear anything besides the chattering of servants, princess. They are mystified as well."

Kagome was about to stick her head out of the curtains and ask about all the fuss, when the litter pitched to the left. She shrieked as it crashed to the ground on one side. The small lamp that had given her light tipped and shattered onto the muslin curtain, enveloping it in flame. Kagome cried out again and climbed to the opposite side, where it was still above ground level. She grabbed at the drapery and wrenched it aside, crawling out and over the edge, falling into the sludge that lined her party's trail. The watery snow shoved itself immediately into all the folds of her wool kimono.

That was the first thing she noticed. The second was the corpses of servants lying alongside her, with the shafts of arrows protruding from their chests. She shrieked again and jumped to the side of one of the few servants that had seemingly escaped this attack. He was shivering with fright, unclear of whether he should go towards the litter, which was now a small inferno that provided some protection, or back up where the fire could not catch hold, but into the open.

"Myoga!" she called, remembering her friend.

"Here, princess," wheezed the flea from his place on her shoulder. "Stay down, the guards are forming a perimeter."

She looked up to see that not everyone was as terrified as the servant was. The guards that had not been shot by their attackers came in close and created a barrier around the princess and the remaining servants. One guard, unhorsed by a stray arrow, tossed snow upon the burning litter, stamping out the flames with his foot.

Kagome and the flea crouched down just in time for another barrage of arrows to go sailing over their heads. Several guards went down as their horses were hit and a few bled themselves as the arrows found the small weaknesses in their demon-made armor. Still, they formed tighter ranks and closed in again. Half of them had drawn their bows and were firing back into the woods, but they had the distinct disadvantage of not being able to see their attackers. As the arrows continued to fly overhead, Kagome saw more and more of her guardians fall. Their blood stained the snow red, seeping into the ground around her in a ring of death and violence.

When over half of the guards had died, the volleys suddenly stopped. Silence settled on the forest and those left living shifted uneasily in their saddles. Kagome stayed where she was, although she was reasonably sure that she was getting frostbite in her toes. Myoga was silent and hidden in her hair, trembling once in awhile to let her know he was still there.

A harsh wind blew through the trees and a shadow appeared, moving forward steadily, not seeming to mind the dozen arrows trained upon him. When it stepped into the light, Kagome could see that it was a creature wrapped in a baboon pelt. She was mystified until a familiar voice echoed through the clearing. "So, princess. How nice it is to see you looking up to your, ah… usual standards."

Kagome stood up, the muck sliding off of her kimono and oozing onto the ground. "Naraku. This is impossible. You're in prison!"

"An overconfident king and a bit of trickery. If those foolish guards surrounding you have the same mental capabilities, you are in a lot of danger, Kagome," said the baboon-cloaked creature.

"And what do you want with me? I'm going back to my father and I'll probably die there. What more could you want from me?"

The baboon cocked its head. "Assuming everything is about you again, are we?" He laughed softly. "Right now, every major dignitary from the youkai lands is gathered at the Taisho castle to celebrate the mating ceremony of Princess Ayame and your precious hanyou. Did you really think that your father was so stupid as to pass up such an opportunity? Meeting you here and being able to send your mangled body to Nakao is just a bonus, dear Kagome."

One of the soldiers, presumably the captain, scoffed. "We not be able to see these human invaders of yours, Naraku, but we can smell them. You haven't enough men to properly besiege a village, much less the capital of the Taisho kingdom!"

"The advance guard," Naraku answered smoothly. "Wouldn't want the main forces to run into anything like, oh say, the princess of Nakao, now would we? I said that I would send the girl's body back to her father and she will be mangled beyond repair, but she will be alive. How could I deprive the king of his desire to strike off his daughter's head with his own hand?"

Kagome shuddered. "I don't care," she said, in what she hoped was a clear voice, but it cracked at the end. As Naraku snickered, she tried again. "I don't care what my father has in store for me, but you will be defeated. Taisho is ready for you!"

"Spare me your feeble attempts to scare me off," he said, and Kagome could imagine him rolling his eyes underneath the hood. He leaned forward. "I don't scare easily, little girl. Although I must admit I'm impressed by your courage. Yours and those who so foolishly try to guard you still. If you had any merits at all besides this unrelenting bravado, I would conscript you into my army."

"Your army?" asked Kagome, ignoring his 'compliment'. "You're working with my father. It is his army."

He sighed at her tiring question. "I thought my counterpart explained this to you. I will take over Taisho kingdom and destroy the rest of the ruling class. Your father will then die at my hands. I will rule. Not him. Don't be so foolish as to think that I would settle for anything less than complete power, my girl." As he spoke, shadows of 'his' army surrounded them. Kagome could see the shapes of her familiar Nakao soldiers, the ones that had protected her throughout her youth. There were many more than the number of demons that surrounded her.

"Keh, and I won't settle for anything less than you shutting up for once!"

Kagome turned to see Inuyasha perching in a tree away and to her left. He was shrouded in brown and the edges of his body seemed to melt into the shadows. Miroku was standing at the base of the trunk, his hand wrapped around a monk's staff.

Inuyasha drew out a battered sword and looked directly at Kagome. "It's not broken anymore," he said, pausing a moment before flicking his wrist. The sword grew to become a massive blade, one that made even Naraku draw back a bit. "Meet Tetsusaiga."

Naraku made no response except for a nod of his head. The Nakao soldiers rushed forward with fierce cries and swords shining in the sunlight. The last few guardians of the princess retaliated and soon there were sounds of pain of death ringing through the air.

"Get somewhere safe!" Inuyasha was next to her, already splattered in blood, hauling her up by her arm. He pushed her towards the trees behind her defenders.

"But what about you?" she answered, not letting go of his cloak. "Don't go in there!" She couldn't even look at the carnage that was spilling out onto the white forest floor.

"Just shut up and let me protect you," he growled, giving her one last push before joining the fray.

Kagome crouched behind a tree, barely hearing Myoga's gentle reassurances in her ear. Every time she turned to see what was going on, blood started rushing to her skin and she could hear nothing else but her heartbeat, fast and irregular. Inuyasha and Miroku were fighting bravely, but they both sported many smaller cuts and bruises already. As for her guards, they were barely crawling out of the fight. They had already been tired and bleeding before the prince had arrived and they were all too ready to surrender the battle to him and the diplomat.

In such close quarters with his comrades, Inuyasha was primarily using his claws to rend apart the human soldiers. They weren't a problem for him, as the blood running into the snow could attest. Naraku, however, had deemed it necessary to join in the fight, sprouting more tentacles to go after the prince and the diplomat than they could contend with.

Miroku was doing surprisingly well. Even Kagome took a moment to ignore the gore and marvel at how deftly the diplomat moved through her father's ranks. He had almost as much speed and maneuverability as Inuyasha, and once or twice when he knocked aside an opponent with his staff, Kagome could have sworn she saw the spark of holy powers.

Soon enough, Nakao's soldiers were decimated, broken down to flesh and bone or sent running back towards their human kingdom. Naraku yelled at the traitors, screeching his insults, but he had hopelessly entangled himself with the prince and the diplomat and could not follow suit. He was more than a match for the tired pair of fighters though and swiftly sent them flying through the air with his tentacles.

"Inuyasha!" cried out Kagome. She started forward, grabbing an errant arrow from the ground. Myoga called to her from where he stayed hidden.

"Keep back!" answered Inuyasha. He crouched, as if trying to regain his breath and then leapt back towards Naraku, slashing wildly with Tetsusaiga.

Kagome screamed as a tentacle suddenly burst through Inuyasha's chest, propelling him to the princess's position and pinning him to the ground. Naraku laughed as Inuyasha weakly tried to push the tentacle off of him, seemingly not realizing that he had just been impaled. The diplomat rushed to his friend's aid but was brushed aside by a stroke of one of Naraku's powerful appendages. Done with Miroku, the second tentacle moved towards the prince lazily, picking out the perfect place to end the hanyou's suffering.

The princess was the only one who could reach him. She knew it. She gripped the arrow in her hand tightly and sprang from her hiding place. "You bastard! Get off of him!" she yelled, driving the point of her arrow into the thick of the offending tentacle.

Naraku let out a sharp cry and withdrew, the blood from his wound flowing liberally. Kagome turned to the baboon pelt and stabbed the arrow again, into his chest. There was a sound of breaking wood and the pelt collapsed, hitting the ground as Kagome fell back from the force of the wind rushing through the woods. The demon was gone, leaving just scraps of fur in his place.

The forest took a breath, and life reemerged. The sunshine wasn't as harsh and almost warmed the shivering princess. The shadow had passed, but a moment later, Kagome realized that she heard no sounds of breathing from her prince.

"Inuyasha…" she breathed, as soon as she could manage to say his name. She crawled over to him and began to weep over his body. The hole in his gut was large enough to put a fist through and she cried bitterly to see his blood spilt.

"Hey… don't cry…"

She looked up to see the hanyou's sparkling golden eyes blinking at her. They were unfocused and darting around, but they still sought after her face. Kagome gave a little choked cry of elation. "You're alive!"

"Course… Think I'd… I'd die in that… little battle?" He took deep, rattling breaths.

"You were very brave," she murmured, stroking his face.

The hanyou's eyes rolled back a bit as he struggled to remain awake. He was already becoming delirious with the loss of blood. "Not so… bad yourself," he choked out. "Getting to be a d-… demon already." His head swayed back and forth.

Kagome began to search for something that could bind his wound, and found that Miroku was already tearing strips of her partially burnt muslin curtain from her litter. She smiled appreciatively at him and helped Inuyasha sit up.

He leaned heavily on her as she undid his haori and underclothes, leaving him naked from the waist up. She stemmed the blood flow and wrapped the torn cloth around his middle, whispering promises of getting him proper medical treatment when they got back to Taisho's capital.

The hanyou blinked slowly. "You're coming back then?"

"Of course," she replied. She was weeping again, her salty tears dripping onto his chest and turning cold. He shivered and she wiped them away from his skin. "Sorry."

"Keh."

She laughed a little at his answer and then began to sob. "I was so scared for you! Why did you come here? You could have been killed!" She knelt in the snow, facing him, and crying unabashedly onto his shoulder.

Inuyasha leaned on her again, letting their bodies prop each other up. His nose was buried in her dark hair and although he could smell the scents of blood and dirt and fire, he could also smell the distinct scent of what he had long ago associated with Kagome. That scent of pure innocence, of springtime flowers, even in the dead of winter. "I… I wanted to smell your hair again," he said, before slumping onto her shoulder and into unconsciousness.

Kagome embraced him gingerly, knowing that he was out of it for awhile, and cried the last few tears she had left. She carefully wrapped him back into his garments, although they were sodden with his blood.

"This wasn't Naraku," said the diplomat softly, once the princess had fallen silent. "It was a demon puppet."

She turned her head slowly and watched as Miroku kicked at the remains of their foe. "He said he'd escaped the Taisho prison."

"Not as of an hour ago," said the diplomat with a frown, as he went to gather a very skittish horse that bore the colors of Nakao. He calmed it with a few hushed words and brought it over to the exhausted pair. "I think that Naraku may still be in prison and he simply sent out this puppet to do his bidding."

"If that's true, I will demand his execution as soon as we return," said Kagome, as she helped him lift the unconscious prince to the back of the steed. "I'll do it myself," she added venomously, as Inuyasha moaned. She picked up Tetsusaiga, now lying in the slush in its battered state and sheathed it. Inuyasha would definitely have to learn how to use the blade more effectively.

They quickly gathered the few living guards and servants and put them all on saddles as well, as none of them had escaped the battle unscathed, save Miroku and Kagome themselves. The caravan back to Taisho moved with deliberate care, taking the path of least resistance for the wounded youkai. "How long until we get back?" asked Myoga, who had reappeared on Kagome's shoulder.

"Where have you been?" she asked in return.

"Um," blushed the flea. As his human companions stared, he bristled. "Well, what did you expect me to do? Suck the blood out of Naraku, ounce by ounce?"

"Point taken," said the diplomat. "And to answer your question, it will take us several hours to return at this pace. Dusk, at least. Probably until after dark."

Kagome stroked Inuyasha's back as he lay flat along the stallion's back. "I hope he'll be alright for that long."

"He will be fine. You should hear about some of the wounds he received when he and Sesshoumaru weren't so friendly with each other," said Miroku, rolling his eyes. "I seem to remember an incident much like this. You would think he would be killed immediately with all that trauma to his innards."

The princess relaxed a little, hearing that Inuyasha had already survived this sort of injury. She continued to thread her fingers through his hair, feeling a surge of satisfaction when he gave out a quiet sound of comfort. "Soon, you too can get gutted by an evil chef and live to tell the tale, Miroku" she replied, smiling softly. "You moved like a demon today."

"Why, I believe that's the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me," he exclaimed. "Thank you, my prin…"

He trailed off and stopped, looking back where they had come from. "What?" asked Kagome.

"A horse is coming this way," he replied, frowning. He saw the apprehension flicker on Kagome's face. "Just one. Even so…" He dropped the reins of the horse he was leading and grabbed his staff. Kagome had no weapon anymore, so she grabbed an unused bow from the saddle of one of the horses. There were no arrows, but it was better than nothing.

A few very tense moments later, the horse in question came into view, with a rider carrying the colors of Nakao and a flag of white. He slowed when he saw them, cantering to a stop just in time. "Princess Kagome," he exclaimed, seeing the dirt-covered princess.

Kagome narrowed her eyes. She did not recognize this man, although that was no real surprise. Many of her father's army knew her face and she knew barely any of theirs, save the generals. "Yes? What do you want?"

"I came to seek you," said the horseman. "When I saw the destruction back on the path, I feared that you may have been part of it. I was going to keep riding to the Taisho capital, but I'm happy to have found you first. I have a message." His hands were twisted the reins of his horse and his eyes were darting warily over the figures of demons on the other steeds, despite the youkais' obvious weakness.

"Well, give it to me then," prodded Kagome, annoyed. She had a bleeding hanyou to convey!

"A simple message, only verbal, Your Highness," he said, tearing his eyes away from the youkai. "He wanted to warn you. The king of Nakao is coming."

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A/N: Oh, good Lord above. I can't believe I've finally finished with this chapter! I must have erased the first 5 pages about a dozen times! I kept starting with Kagome, until I finally realized that I had a new character that I could introduce, to give new perspective. Voila, Ayame arrived early (just as the characters say she does). I know she seems meek in comparison to her image in the anime, but look at it this way – I needed a foil to Kagome, one that Kagome would think is perfect for Inuyasha (she does think this, in fact, although Ayame can't see that). Also, she's been beaten down a lot more than she was in the anime. I know the wolves' political system is kind of complicated, but I view it like this (for anyone who is interested): There are several 'packs', each of which has a leader/king. Ayame's grandfather is the king of one pack, as is Koga's father, although Koga is effectively the leader due to his father's ill health. There are other packs, but they aren't as strong and so only these two fought for the right to lead ALL of the packs. Koga's won. So basically, his pack is the king of packs and Koga is the king overall. Woo. That was a really pointless explanation. Anyway, please review! Only two chapters left!


	18. The King of Nakao

A/N: So here it is – the penultimate chapter! The epilogue will be on its way soon enough. I WILL be done before I go back to school! Anyway, after that I'm going to begin a new story called _The Once and Future Taiyoukai_. It's Sess/Kag and I have an outline and everything – it will be pretty cool. Thanks to everyone for sticking with me through this story and stay tuned for the epilogue. Happy reading.

Thousandfurs

Chapter 18: The King of Nakao

Kagome and Miroku made it back to the Taisho capital in record time, entering the city gates shortly before sunset. The youkai of the city stood to the sides of the streets, allowing them to pass, whispering about the injured prince who was still unconscious. Kagome kept a hand on her love's back, and a piercing look in her eye, to warn any of his detractors off from their usual insults. But the crowd did not call out to them. They closed the way behind them, standing in the avenues with a wide-eyed curiosity.

By the time they could see the palace walls, guards came rushing out to meet them. They gathered their comrades and took them from the weary horses. Kaede came forward to take the prince, her one good eye narrowing at the sight of his injuries. "Put him in his room," she said to the guards, who lifted the prince from his saddle reverently.

The princess made as if to follow, but Miroku held her back. "Your father is coming. We need to speak with the king," he reminded her gently.

"We'll take care of the prince," said Kaede off-handedly as she began to walk after the youkai bearing the prince's body. "He's been through worse."

Kagome conceded and went through the palace gates just in time to see the king and queen rush out, their eyes wide with fear. "Inuyasha!" Izayoi cried, seeing her son.

The king was almost shaking with anger. "What happened?" he said, sharply turning to Miroku.

The diplomat admirably did not quail under his sovereign's glare. "We met a small contingent of the Nakao army in your lands, Your Majesty. Naraku was with them, or at least a demon puppet of Naraku. More intricate than I've ever seen. It was even able to speak with the chef's voice." He looked at Kagome for a moment. "After it impaled Inuyasha, Kagome managed to destroy it."

"Kaede says that he'll be alright," said Izayoi, rejoining their group after the briefest of chats with the healer. Relief was evident in her face.

Toga nodded, relaxing his shoulders a little. "Tell me more of this demon puppet and his army."

Miroku shrugged. "Naraku must have had it with him when he went into the dungeon, or he had set it loose before we caught him. It would only take some meditation and a few incantations to control the puppet from his cell. It is not difficult magic, but it is quite effective. The puppet would be largely indistinguishable from the true Naraku." He took a breath and frowned. "The army was of humans and easily defeated, but the puppet said that there were more coming. An invasion force."

"The puppet also said that he had escaped prison," said Kagome, speaking for the first time. She curtsied to the king and held out Tetsusaiga. "I think he may need a bit more practice with this, Toga-sama, but Inuyasha fought well. Nothing could have harmed me while he was there."

The demon king smiled wryly and took the sword. "Yes, I suppose I will have to teach my son the finer points of using the Fang." He paused and looked up at her with a furrowed brow. "But he was able to transform it?"

"Yes," replied Kagome slowly. "I assumed that you had taught him that, Your Majesty."

The great demon shook his head. "I didn't even know he had taken it, actually. The Fang," he said, drawing the blade and watching it shift to its full size, "will only change for those who wish to protect humans with it. It's why it was so invaluable to me during the war for my mate, and why I was so disheartened by the loss of its hilt."

"He must have wanted to protect you very much," murmured the queen, smiling softly at her mate.

Kagome felt a little flutter in her chest and was about to ask more, when Miroku cleared his throat. "Forgive me, Your Majesties, but there is a more pressing matter. On our way back to the city, a messenger approached Kagome-sama and told her that her father was coming."

Toga's body stiffened as his mate clutched at his arm in silence. "When? With the army?" he asked quietly.

Miroku shrugged. "He simply said 'The king is coming' and could not say anymore."

"Why would he warn us?" asked Izayoi. "What's the sense in that?"

"It was my brother, I'm sure of it," said Kagome. "Sota sent the messenger. He probably didn't have time for details."

"No, he wouldn't," agreed the king. "Do you think that he comes with the army?"

Kagome frowned. "No, I don't. My kingdom has been in battles, but my father has usually left it to his generals. I don't think I've ever seen him go to battle, except when he has been victorious already. He does, however, take care of some matters in person. I think that since two spies failed to kill me or bring me back, he might want to come himself. He probably thinks that you couldn't refuse."

"And I can't," said Toga, shaking his head. "I cannot keep a princess here when her father asks for her return."

"I know, and I expect that," she replied. "But my father hates the danger of dying and I don't think his army would attack while he was here. That is just my opinion, of course."

He sighed and beckoned to a few servants. "I have little choice but to believe that opinion. If we prepare a defensive force, it will threaten the king if he is only here to collect his daughter. Then we would be blamed for any war." He turned to the servants. "We have to make a room for a king."

The servants hesitated. "Your Majesty," said one of the braver ones. "The castle is nearly full. With the Princesses Ayame and Kagome here, as well as Lady Sango's room, we have filled every room of importance."

The king scowled. "Damnable feasts," he muttered.

"He can have my room," said Kagome softly. "I wasn't supposed to be coming back anyway. And I lived under a flight of stairs for months, so any room you move me to would be just fine."

Toga looked as if he wanted to protest, but then nodded. "I see no other alternative. Do as the princess asks," he said. "But put her new room as far from the old one as possible." He exchanged a dark look with his mate who gave a small sound of agreement.

"We will not allow your honor to be lost while you reside in our home," said Izayoi, putting her hand on Kagome's shoulder. "We will post guards for you. You will not see your father if you do not wish it."

Kagome bowed. "Thank you, Your Majesty. I think though, that I should be here to greet him. After that, I will gladly take you up on the offer of additional protection."

They stood in silence for a moment. How could they go on with their evening when a king who wanted his own daughter as a wife and was hell-bent on destroying all youkai was on his way?

The princess looked up at the castle entrance that Inuyasha had gone through, wondering if he was awake yet. Would he be asking for her? He had said such _nice_ things to her when he was lying in her arms out in the forest. Was that because he had been delirious with blood loss? Or did he actually like the smell of her hair? Did he actually want her to become a demon?

Toga saw the apprehension in the princess's liquid brown eyes. "Kagome-sama, go clean up and then you should go see my son. I'm sure he will be asking for you." He turned his gaze away quickly, pretending not to notice the tear falling from her eye. "Miroku, you will join me in speaking with Naraku. I have some questions for him and possibly the sharp ends of my claws. And Izayoi," he said, turning to his mate and embracing her, "see to our guests, my love, and make sure they are settling in for the night. We wouldn't want gossip."

Kagome parted ways with the others and made record time in taking a quick dip in the baths and getting dressed in a formal kimono. All of her secretive dashes to the Taisho dances had served her well and when she finally made her way towards Inuyasha's apartments, she felt refreshingly proper for a princess.

The silence of the castle did wear on her nerves a bit. It was after dinner and she could imagine the youkai sitting on their futons with their full bellies, unaware that the prince was so badly injured. She wondered fearfully that Inuyasha would ever be the same. Sure, Miroku had said he'd had a similar injury once long ago, but he had received immediate attention then. This time, they had had to trek through a cold forest back to the castle.

She approached the door slowly and almost jumped when it slid open and Kaede stomped out. "That boy," she was muttering, "always demanding…" She caught sight of Kagome and bowed. "Go right in, princess, if ye know what's good for us all."

The old healer marched down the hall as Kagome turned to open the door again, trying not to hesitate. He probably already knew he was there, and was waiting for her, so she stepped into his room, treading carefully. A fire was glowing in the corner of the room, and while its glare of red would be enough for a youkai pair of eyes, she could barely see the floor. It smelled of drugs and herbs and faintly, of blood.

"What took you so long?"

The princess jumped and looked over to where the voice had come from. She could barely see a bundle in the middle of a large futon. "Inuyasha?"

"Who else would it be?" he groused, sitting up a bit. The firelight finally caught him and she could see the pale expanse of his collarbone and his white mane of hair.

"Sorry, I thought you would be sleeping still," she said, moving closer to the foot of the bed. "How do you feel?"

"I've got a hole right through my body," he sniffed. "How do you think I feel?"

Kagome frowned. "Well, has Kaede-san given you any medicine? For the pain?"

"I'm not in pain."

"You just said…"

He growled softly. "I'm stuck in bed with these smelly herbs right under my nose. That's why I don't like this. But if you think a little thing like this will make me feel pain, you're wrong."

The princess sighed and sat down on the corner of his futon. "I didn't mean to imply…" she trailed off. "I just wanted to see if you're alright. But since you obviously are, I'll leave. I can see that you don't want to be bothered."

As she turned away from him, he suddenly sat up from his pillows. "I didn't say you could go!"

"Well, now, that sounds familiar," she snapped back, her eyes glowing in the firelight. "Are you going to throw another shoe at me if I try to leave?"

He fell silent for a moment. "I didn't… I didn't mean to," he said finally, his voice soft.

"No, Inuyasha. There are many accidents in this world. Getting caught in the rain, having your bowstring break, spilling an entire jug of water. These things you don't _mean_ to do. Picking up a sandal and throwing it at the head of a servant girl who has obviously had a pretty rough time is _entirely_ intentional." She stood up. "I think I should go."

She began to walk towards the door when the futon creaked and the hanyou prince was suddenly in front of her, clutching at his bandages. "No," he gasped, nearly doubled over. "Don't leave."

Kagome went to him and put an arm around him, trying not to touch his wound. "You shouldn't be out of bed," she murmured, urging him back. She let him collapse back onto the futon, face-first, with a groan. "If you don't want me to leave, Inuyasha, it would be nice if you could just say that. Without a demanding tone, if you please. I've had enough of that from you."

"Please stay," he said immediately, his words muffled by the mattress.

The princess suppressed a smile. "That's better." She took him by the arm and helped him arrange himself properly, covering him with the quilt when he was settled again. This time, she took a seat on the edge of the futon closest to him. "Inuyasha, my father is coming," she said, just as his eyes were drifting closed.

Golden orbs were suddenly peering at her. "Does my father know?"

"Yes. I told him as soon as you were safe with Kaede-san."

"Is he going to take you away?" he asked, his eyes widening.

Kagome had a sudden vision of a child, with amber eyes and white hair, asking this of her as she tucked him into bed. In the vision, Inuyasha was standing behind her, with a smile of fatherly pride. "Um… I don't know," she answered truthfully, shaking her head clear. "Probably. He would never let me stay."

"Why not?" The angry, stubborn hanyou returned with full force.

"Well, he hates demons. You know that. I doubt he would be happy about leaving his only daughter in a youkai kingdom to be 'corrupted', although he probably already considers me sullied by just a few months' stay." She shrugged and began to play with the hem of Inuyasha's quilt. "And, he wanted to marry me _himself_ after all."

He studied her. "What do you mean by that tone? Who else would marry you?"

Kagome scowled, her muscles tensing. "I certainly hope that someone other than my own father!" she snapped. "Really, Inuyasha, do you even think before you speak?"

"Keh, I was just asking," he said, turning his head away.

The princess rolled her eyes and put her chin in her hand. "I thought you wanted me to stay," she said.

"I do," he answered gruffly.

"Did you not want to be my mate anymore?" she asked, her eyes lowered.

He stared at her for a moment. "I said I did, didn't I? I didn't change my mind since last night!"

"Well, you could have," she reasoned. "Ayame is here now. Have you seen her? She's a lovely girl – sorry, 'demon' – and not nearly as temperamental as I am. I don't blame you if you would prefer her. She's at least a youkai, you know? I'm just human. I would understand."

Inuyasha sat up straight, the quilt falling away from his bare chest again. Kagome had to avert her eyes. "Would you marry some guy just because he was human?" he asked.

"What? No, not just for that reason."

"Well then, why are you telling me to take Ayame as my mate just because she's a youkai?"

Kagome shrugged. "I just thought you would prefer that. After all, any… um, child, we would have would be three-fourths human. Have you thought of that?"

"Yeah? So what?" he said, a growl forming behind his words. "I turned out okay. The only reason _they_ hate me isn't because I'm a hanyou, it's because of Kikyo. But you know all about _that _little story, don't you?"

"Yes," she replied, "but it wouldn't bother you? Wouldn't he be weaker?"

Inuyasha puffed out his chest and then withered in pain again. "I'm not weaker for it," he snapped through his heavy breathing. "You know, my mother isn't _really_ human. She's not really a demon either, but she's not human anymore. She's strong too, you know. Strong as any female demon, but she doesn't show it. That's the difference, between those that are born demons and those that become demons by living with us. They still _act_ human. They don't have our instincts. So they're not demons, but they're more demon than they are human." He looked at her sharply. "Get it?"

"I… I guess so," said Kagome.

"The only one that hates me for being a hanyou is Sesshoumaru," he continued. "And I care about as much about what _that_ bastard thinks as I care about what your father thinks."

The princess sighed. "Unfortunately, my father has an army ready to attack for the sake of what he thinks."

"Screw him." He grimaced. "Never mind. Just let me and my father handle it, okay?"

"I don't know, Inuyasha," she said. "Maybe you should just really mate with Ayame."

The prince scoffed. "Well, I'm not. Even if I wanted to."

Kagome looked up at him and frowned. "What do you mean by that?"

"Oh." He colored slightly. Or was it just the firelight? "I guess I have the record, for the most girls to turn me down. She doesn't want to be my mate."

"I talked to her this morning," said Kagome. "She seemed resigned to it then. What did you say to her?"

"Hey, I didn't say anything to _her_," he argued. "I just told my father, while she was in the room, that I wouldn't mate with her. I'm not going to continue the Taisho line with that wolf. She still reeks of Koga. And that's just fine with her! She wants him and she doesn't want me. And I don't want her. I told my father that if they made us be together, that he would never get a grandson out of _me_."

"Oh?" She was breathless. "So she wasn't suitable to be the mother of your heirs?"

"Keh, I'm sure she'd be fine," he growled. "But I wasn't going to give her the chance."

Kagome smiled. "You weren't?"

"Why would I have her in my bed?" he asked. "I don't want her there."

"You keep saying that you don't 'want' a lot of things, Inuyasha. Who _do_ you want in your bed?" she asked, rather shocked at her own forwardness.

He looked at her. "Nobody else," he said simply.

Kagome frowned for a moment. "Oh, alright," she replied. What just happened?

Inuyasha growled suddenly and reached for her, encircling her waist with his arms and pulling her towards him. She gave out a little shriek, which died when he buried his nose in her hair. "Nobody else, except _you_. But you're in my bed already, aren't you?" he asked, his voice becoming thick. "_That's_ what I told my father. No one will be the mother of my sons except for you, Kagome."

She wiggled, making him growl louder, and then froze. "And what if I said 'no'?" she asked softly. Even as she said it, she was leaning into him.

"The Taisho line dies with me," he answered, moving his nose down her ear and to her neck. His fangs grazed her skin at the curve of her throat, causing goosebumps to break out all over her skin. He made a soft noise of appreciation.

"Inuyasha…" she murmured as he continued to nip at her skin, "we can't. My father will be here soon."

He pulled away and gave her the most serious stare she had ever seen on him. "What will you do? Really? Now that you've returned, I'm not letting you go, Kagome. Not even if it does start a war. There's more to this than just you. This is about his kingdom trying to invade mine for power and a bit of land." He closed his eyes briefly. "I don't think even the woman who is both his daughter and wife will dissuade him, whatever you say."

"I have to try," she said quietly, taking a lock of his hair and running her fingers through it. "You have to understand… I want to be your mate, Inuyasha, but I can't let this happen if there was any way I could stop it."

The prince leaned towards her again and put his mouth to her ear. "Fine, I'll make you a deal. When your father arrives, you will be able to try to negotiate with him. If he refuses or tries to take you back, I fight for you. We all fight for you. You'll have your chance and I'll have my mate."

Kagome bit her lip. "Alright. That sounds reasonable enough. I guess if he wouldn't listen to me in Taisho, he wouldn't listen to me in Nakao either."

"Exactly," said Inuyasha, barely listening to anything except the tone that agreed with his plan. He resumed his gentle attack on the skin of her throat.

She smiled and pushed at him. "Any particular reason you're so fixated on my neck right now? What are you? A vampire? You want to suck my blood?" She laughed lightly. Those creepy stories had always been a favorite of Sota's but she found them just a bit ridiculous.

He looked at her with a bemused expression. "Of course I do," he said slowly.

"What?" She pulled away, the look of amusement long gone.

Inuyasha held on tightly though and snickered. "You mean, you never found out exactly what it meant to be a mate of a demon?" he asked with a wicked gleam in his eyes. Without waiting for the inevitable answer, he continued. "When youkai mate, the male bites the female on the neck, to show ownership. Well, that's the old way of thinking. Now, it's just so that no other male tries to take the female away from him. Most youkai are kind of territorial about their mates, if you hadn't noticed." He grinned at her shocked expression and went back her neck.

Kagome blinked. "Does it hurt?"

The prince looked up at her with a slight frown. "I don't know. I guess it would a little. I mean, I will be _biting_ you, Kagome. But lots of mated females have had it done. And they're fine."

"Lots of them? You mean, not all?" she asked, her eyes widening at the thought of blood running down her neck as Inuyasha drank straight from her veins. She shuddered.

His frown deepened. "Kagome, don't be so stupid. My mother had it done to her and she never complained. I've never heard any female complain actually. Most like the protection it gives them. It creates a bond."

"But you said 'lots'. Not all of them," she insisted.

He sighed. "Yeah, well, some females don't let their males mark them. Or the males don't want to. But that's only when they've been forced together by unusual circumstances. Like when the female's previous mate has been unfortunately killed by a weaker foe and she must take the victor as her new mate. But that sort of thing only happens in the wilds, where the demons are barely better than animals."

Kagome took a breath, calming herself a little. If Izayoi had done it, she would not begrudge the mark. It was obviously important to Inuyasha. "Would you have marked Ayame?" she asked, surprising even herself with the question.

Inuyasha's ears flicked forward. "I don't know. I would never share my bed with her, so I could probably resist, but that would make her my weakness. As long as you go through the mating ceremony, you're still considered mates in society, but that's just a show for the more civilized youkai. Out in the wild, she would still be considered unmated. And if anyone tried to challenge me, Ayame could become a scapegoat." He glowered for a moment. "I think I would have to. But that _would_ be painful."

"You just said…"

He reddened slightly. "Well, most youkai mark their mates while um, mating… so, if the male is doing his ah, job right, the female should be… overwhelmed with pleasure so that she doesn't feel the bite as much." He cleared his throat and looked away. "I would just mark Ayame, nothing more."

Kagome was as red as he was. "I see," she said finally. "So you wouldn't do it while… uh…"

"No," he replied firmly, although he was still red.

"Would you um, at all? With her?"

He clenched his jaw a couple times. "No."

"You would live the life of a monk?" She stared at him for a moment. Being uneducated as she was as a princess, she knew nothing about these things, but she had lived among the common servants for a few months and she had heard some things…

He turned a color that would match his haori. "There are such things as concubines, Kagome," he growled. She went rigid in his arms and he looked at her stricken face. "No! I mean, I would if I had to! Not with you though! Damn it, why are we even talking about this?"

Kagome shook her head. "I don't know. I was… curious." She was assaulted with an image of Inuyasha entertaining another female while she was crying in her room. "I'm not curious anymore."

He growled at her scent, one that was shifting rapidly from embarrassment to disgust. Clutching her to his chest, he flipped her over, so that she was lying beneath him. "Listen to me," he snarled, effectively silencing her protest. "If I had you, I would never want another. We're not talking about Ayame again. She is not my mate, nor will she ever be. You are. And if you're not careful, I will not resist temptation and I will forget about the mating ceremony altogether. Then you will see how different you are to me."

Kagome looked up at him. A curtain of his thick white hair, which should have blocked out the firelight, surrounded her. But his eyes were smoldering and golden even in the dark. She knew that he could still see her, even if his other features were in shadow for her. "I understand," she whispered. "But please, not yet."

Inuyasha blinked, as if he was coming back to himself, and he sat up. "Kagome…"

"No, it's okay." She sat up and smiled softly at him. "I need to remember that I'm not dealing with a human husband, but with a hanyou mate." The words felt strange on her tongue. She repeated them in her head: _husband, husband, husband, mate, mate, mate_.

The prince scooped her back into his arms, wincing slightly as her body rubbed against his bandages. "You'll learn," he agreed, enjoying the feel of her weight on his lap. Ah, he could get used to this. He buried his nose into her hair. Yes, he could get used to that scent as well. And that little sigh of hers! Oh Kami, he was turning into a romantic pansy right here, right now. When did Miroku rub off on him so much?

"Are you purring?" she asked him, her tone warning him of a giggle fast approaching.

He stopped the strange noise coming from his throat. "I am not!" he huffed.

"You were too." She pulled away and gave him a loving smile, looping her arms around his neck. "Are you going to write me poetry too, Inuyasha?"

"Hmph, some princess you are! You have a guy willing to go to war for you and you're mocking him!"

"Some prince you are! You want to bite me!"

"Yeah, well, maybe because that's the way it's supposed to be, okay?" he growled.

Kagome scrunched up her face. "Are you always so conventional?" she asked in return.

"Well, maybe you're just lucky that I don't confine you to my room, like wolf youkai!" he retaliated. "Then we'd see who is conventional!"

"That made no sense!" she told him, rolling her eyes.

He was inches from her. "Well, if I kiss you, will you shut up?" he asked.

She smiled brilliantly at him. "Yes, I promise."

The prince smirked, but didn't hesitate in covering her mouth with his own. How could he have not known that Thousandfurs and his princess were the same difficult creature? She tasted like… a challenge. Kami, she would be a nightmare. If he had any sense, if he wanted any semblance of a quiet, normal life, he would go running to find Ayame and beg for her reconsideration. But he was not _quite_ able to let go of this irritating woman in his arms. It was borderline masochistic, really, taking this female into his bed. She would never be the calm, sweet, angelic creature that typically defined 'princess'.

He was going to love every second of this.

They broke apart, their foreheads touching. Kagome was flushed, but smiling. She laughed softly and kissed the tip of his nose. "Inuyasha," she breathed, "I…"

There was a knock at the door and the princess jumped back, scrambling to get to her feet again. Inuyasha growled at the intrusion. "What is it?" he snapped.

"Be _nice_," whispered the princess as a servant entered.

The prince rolled his eyes. "What do you want?" he asked, forcing a smile so that his fangs showed, giving him the appearance of a jack-o-lantern.

The servant faltered for a moment, but finally remembered to bow before addressing his superiors. "Your Highnesses, the king would like to inform you that a delegation from Nakao has been spotted and should be here within the hour. Princess Kagome's presence is requested, although the prince is allowed to remain in his room to rest, if he so wishes." He bowed again and stepped out of the room.

Inuyasha scoffed. "I think I scared him more by the smiling than I usually do when I…" He trailed off when he caught sight of the pale terror on Kagome's face. Getting to his feet, the prince wrapped his arms around the girl and stroked her hair. "It's gonna be okay, Kagome. I'll be here for you. There's no way I'd let you face that bastard alone."

To her credit, Kagome shed only a few tears of fear before pulling away and wiping her face with the heel of her hand. "I know," she said, her throat thick with salty drops. "We should get you dressed."

Inuyasha grinned, leaning in and nipping at her ear. "Will you help?"

"Pervert," muttered Kagome, pushing him off. But, as she stepped out to allow him some privacy, Inuyasha could see her smile. He felt a surge of triumph and didn't feel the pain as he struggled into a clean haori.

When he joined her out in the hall, however, she was shaking and pale again. "What did I _just _tell you?" he asked, pulling her into an one-armed embrace.

"That with Ayame you would have had to resort to having a concubine," she replied stonily.

"Idiot," he muttered, taking her small hand in his.

They walked together slowly, not bothering to waste time with words. The castle was silent. Everyone had gone to bed that hadn't heard of the bigoted king traipsing down the city streets at this late hour of the night. Kagome had to stop several times, which Inuyasha pretended to be annoyed about, but he stayed with her, urging her on with an impatient clicking of his claws. Worrying that Inuyasha was seriously doubting her bravery distracted her from worrying about her father, which of course, was the prince's intention.

When they got to the grand foyer, they saw that Sango and Miroku had stayed awake, as well as Sesshoumaru. The king and queen had remained in their formal dinner garb, as it was equally appropriate for greeting late guests as it was for entertaining those guests that were on time (and also, those actually invited).

Kagome gripped Inuyasha's hand tightly, using the other to smooth her hair that she feared had gotten mussed with the prince's antics in his bedroom. The servants had pinned it tightly though, and the prince finally stilled her hands with a complaint about her fidgeting. Her hand had barely resumed its place at her side when there was a flurry of activity amongst the servants. The great double doors of the castle entrance were opened and the king moved forward to the threshold.

The princess tried to keep her breathing even. When she had been presented formally to court in Nakao, she had failed to do this and had held up the entire ceremony with a bout of hyperventilation. That wouldn't do, not now. She concentrated on Inuyasha's firm grip, telling her wordlessly not to worry.

The king was speaking to someone – or several people, Kagome couldn't tell – at the doorway. They were in shadow, but he was bowing and inviting them in. The obi suddenly felt very tight and she feared that she would faint in the middle of the hall.

"Kagome."

She looked up at the sound of her name, blinking to clear her hazy vision. What she saw nearly did make her faint. There was her brother, standing not three feet in front of her, with a smile upon his face.

"Kagome," he said again, holding out his hands.

The princess started forward. "Sota," she cried, hugging him tightly. He had grown, even in the past few months. Or had it just been too long? But she remembered having to bend over the last time she had embraced him, when she had been stealing out the window at the beginning of winter. Now, at the end, she was barely stooping. "Sota. Oh Kami, I'm so happy to see you."

"Hey, Sis," he murmured, hugging her with a fierceness that she also did not remember. He pulled away and grinned. "So, how's life?"

Kagome laughed. "Better, now that you're here." She looked up and over his shoulder (hadn't it been over his head the last time?) "Where's Father?"

Sota's face flickered with a strange emotion. "Sis?"

She looked back at him and noticed something else. "Sota, you have a new crown. I've never seen that one before. It looks good on you. Did Father make it for you?"

Sota looked around at the observers of this little discourse, all of whom seemed just as perplexed as the princess. "Kagome… didn't you get the message that I sent?" he asked, holding her hands.

"I got it on the road. 'He wanted to warn you. The king is coming.'" She laughed softly and shook her head. "Scared me half to death, but I understood why it was so short. You must not have had time for anything else. How _did_ you get Father to allow you to come?"

"I'm my own master now," said Sota, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Kagome, that wasn't the entire message that I sent."

"He didn't say anything else."

Sota rolled his eyes. "Damned fools. I'll have to speak to them," he said to himself, before looking back to his sister. "Kagome, Father is dead. I am the king of Nakao now."

The princess felt a trill run through her body and she suddenly needed to sit down, although there was no chair behind her. Inuyasha caught her in his arms, holding her steady until she nodded. "What do you mean?" she asked, squeezing the prince's shoulder to let him know she was all right. "How can he be dead? He can't be dead. He was healthy. Strong, even."

"Yeah, but kind of insane too, if you hadn't noticed," said Sota – King Sota now. "About a week ago, he went on a hunting trip with Lord Maeda – do you remember him? He was the one that first defended you when Father announced his plans to marry you. Anyway, he went out with Maeda and was shot by a stray arrow meant for a stag."

"Maeda?" She remembered him, of course. He was very powerful, with a specially trained contingent of the Nakao army under his command.

Sota shrugged. "Well, we buried him two days ago. I decided to forgo the usual mourning period in light of the fact that he had pretty much incensed every subject we had. You know, between the fiasco with you and the taxes he suddenly levied and the war propaganda he was trying to stir up instead of dealing with our own kingdom's problems." He shrugged again and placed a hand on the sword at his waist that Kagome finally recognized as the king of Nakao's traditional weapon. "My coronation is in a week. I came here hoping that you could attend. And of course, all of the youkai dignitaries that wish to accompany you," he added, bowing to Toga and Sesshoumaru.

"You're going to make peace with us then?" asked Inuyasha, speaking for the first time.

Kagome's brother looked at him. "The advantage of having a father that was completely narcissistic is that he never deemed it necessary to spend time around his children. And so, we never learned his prejudices. I would like, very much, to become allies with our demon neighbors once again. An ancient idea, perhaps, but one that has a lot of merit."

The princess smiled. "Listen to you! You talk like a king!" She gathered him into another embrace. "I've missed you so much!"

Sota laughed, immediately sounding like her baby brother once again. "Thanks, Kagome. I've missed you too."

"We can assume, of course, that this Maeda killed your father?" Sesshoumaru questioned as the siblings beamed at one another.

Kagome looked shocked, while Sota appeared completely at peace. "Yes, he did. Or one of his men did," said the new boy king. "Without my approval, of course, but that was to protect me from any backlash that my father's supporters might stir up. We found out though, that my father has no supporters any longer. The entire court knows what Maeda has done and they don't speak of it. I promoted him to the position of my personal advisor. It is the general opinion that he was simply the executioner, and my father was the traitor of Nakao."

He said this all with such seriousness that Kagome almost wept. But she steeled herself and smiled at her brother. "I will come to your coronation, of course, Sota." She held up a hand when Inuyasha began to protest. "But first, you must give me permission to remain with the prince I have chosen to become my mate. You _are_ my guardian now that you are king, after all."

Sota looked at the white-haired youkai that stood by his sister. He had guessed upon his entrance that this was more than just a simple friendship, by the way they had held hands and how swiftly and lovingly he had caught her, but this was a happy confirmation. He smiled. "Sis, I officially free you of any obligation to the throne of Nakao, besides the fact that you must visit your little brother from time to time. You can do as you wish, with my blessings."

"Excellent," said Toga, smiling broadly for the first time in ages. "King Sota, we have prepared a room for you, if you wish. I take it you have never been to a mating ceremony before?" He took the boy by the shoulders and began to steer him up the stairs as he began to talk of the intricacies of mating versus marriage.

"You owe me a good story in the morning, Sis! I want to hear everything!" called Sota, back over his shoulder. "Good night!"

"Good night!" replied Kagome. She waited until her brother and soon-to-be father-in-law disappeared around the corner before launching herself into Inuyasha's arms with a cry of joy. He held her tightly. "He won't hear _everything_," she said to him, her mouth next to his ear.

"Good," he said, kissing the juncture of her neck and shoulder.

"Disgusting," muttered Sesshoumaru as he wandered away to his own mate and his own bed.

Sango and Miroku simply smiled and wandered off and up the steps.

"He's dead, he's dead," she repeated, craning her head back. "Oh Kami, I know it's horrible of me, but I've never been so happy!" She hugged Inuyasha once again.

They were alone in the foyer by now. Breaking apart, they looked at one another. "Kagome," began Inuyasha, "I lo-."

"Don't say it," she said, interrupting him. "Not yet. You don't know if you do. You don't know me well enough. I haven't changed my mind about _that_. I'm content in that you care for me and that you're absolutely sure that you can put up with me for the rest of your life."

The prince's ears flattened against his head. Just as he was about to speak, he frowned and looked up the stairway. "Oh, crap," he muttered.

Kikyo appeared, fully dressed in a magnificent kimono. She smirked at the couple. "I heard that the king arrived from Nakao," she said, sweeping down the stairs in a pretentious way that made Kagome want to slap her. "Is he already in his room?"

"Yes," said Inuyasha slowly. "What do you want, Kikyo?"

As usual, the haughty princess ignored this question. She circled the pair, taking note of how their hands clutched together. "I'm surprised that the king allowed you two to remain in the same building. Are these your last few moments together?" She hugged her own shoulders. "How sadly romantic. A hard-fought love that only ended up dying in the end. Can't exactly fight now that Daddy's here, can you, my little furry princess?"

Kagome's eyebrow shot up. "I don't think you understand," she began with a quiet, almost menacing, tone.

Kikyo's face turned sour. "Well, it's not like any of your family would allow this laughable union." She sneered at the other princess. "So what if you're royalty? You still served me. And Inuyasha too! Do you think that will ever go away? That people will ever forget that you were a servant once? It doesn't matter if you were a princess before and now! For a few months you were barely worthy to lick the bottom of my shoe. And now that Daddy's here, I'm sure that that's where you be sent back – a dismal little hole with no title and no _prince_ with whom to go dancing off."

The other girl frowned, holding up a hand to stop Inuyasha from jumping in. "Just because you think these things, doesn't actually make them true, Kikyo. You should get the facts before you start spouting off insults to anyone of my rank."

"Rank of scullery maid?" snapped Kikyo. "And what 'facts' could possibly change my mind?"

Inuyasha smiled wickedly. "You have no idea."

"May I be allowed to spoil the party?" asked a voice. They turned to see the king and queen descend the stairs once again. He bowed to Kagome. "The king of Nakao is settling in quite comfortably. That trip must have really been a hard one. He was practically falling asleep as he bid us goodnight." He turned to Kikyo. "However, he did have some interesting things to tell us. About you in particular."

"Me?" For the first time Kagome had seen her, Kikyo faltered a bit. "Whatever about? I mean, I have met the king of Nakao, but hardly ever spoken with him. I was looking forward to renewing the acquaintance."

The king narrowed his eyes. "Actually, there is no acquaintance to renew. _This_ king of Nakao is one you have never met. The one you knew is dead, killed by one of his own men. His son is now king and I assure you that he is not interested in anything you have to offer, Kikyo."

The princess bristled. "Since when have you lost your civil tongue, Your Majesty? Do I no longer have a title? I was once – must I remind you – almost your daughter."

"Almost, thank Kami, is not enough," said Toga. He looked at his son. "Inuyasha, you may be rather appalled – but certainly not surprised – to know that your former betrothed once attended a dance in Nakao. It was right after you had become engaged. She slept with the king of Nakao that night and she frequently returned to him, unknown to even the queen."

"Slander!" cried Kikyo. "Toga-sama, I thought you had more sense than to believe such ridiculous lies!"

"No," said Inuyasha firmly, looking at his former love, "I knew you were with others. I remember the scents you used to carry. Did you think you could fool a dog demon with a couple of baths? You were such a self-indulgent idiot."

Kikyo took a step back. "That's no proof… You can't just say these things!"

"Actually," said Izayoi with a sweet smile, "Sota-sama has told us that his father kept meticulous records, including copies of all the letters he has ever sent, both professional and personal. When he was going through the papers, he found several letters to you, discussing your trysts in detail. Oh, and he found the responses you sent back. I wouldn't have thought it possible for a princess to write such indecent things."

The girl turned red. "Inuyasha," she pled.

"If you think that I am going to defend you, Kikyo," he growled, "you are more delusional than I thought. I'm not your fool any more."

Toga nodded. "Be thankful that we have decided to not disclose this information to either your family or to any of the court. You slept with a man who was married, who had children and who was bent on the extermination of my kind. As you are not part of my court, this is not treason, but it is a personal injury to my family." He looked down his nose at her. "I have been waiting a long time to say this for a good reason, Kikyo: You are not wanted here, and I request that you leave my kingdom permanently."

Kikyo gaped, her hands clutching at the fabric of her kimono. All of the others simply stared at her, unsmiling and unyielding. She drew in a breath and lifted her chin. "Very well. I will not stay any place that I am insulted and not given the respect I deserve," she said, her voice wavering on the last few syllables. "Goodbye." She turned and made her way up the stairs.

"Hmm, I enjoyed that," said the king, breaking into a smile.

"A little too much, I think," added Izayoi, rolling her eyes. She caught sight of the pensive look on Kagome's face and tugged on her mate's arm. "Alright, we did what we wanted to do. We don't have to eat breakfast with that horrible girl tomorrow morning. Let's go to bed, my mate."

"What? Oh, yes, of course." He followed her dutifully, an arm around her waist to bring them closer.

Kagome watched the loving royal couple walk up the stairs. She nearly shed a tear, but she had been crying for a large part of the day, and the tears wouldn't come.

"I can't believe Sota told them all that," she murmured.

Inuyasha scoffed. "Knowing my parents, they've suspected it for a long time and drilled your brother, even if he could barely keep his eyes open. They can be really annoying in that way." He sighed and silence swallowed them for a few moments.

"Kikyo," she said softly, "I had almost forgotten about her."

"Well, then, you're fortunate," replied Inuyasha.

She bit her lip, thinking back to the incident in the courtyard. She had stood there, listening to him say that he wouldn't know who to choose if it came down to it – her or Kikyo. She wanted to ask, she wanted to get reassurance from him that she truly was the only one he wanted now, but she knew it would just upset him. He would just get defensive and she would forever doubt that he did not still love Kikyo.

"Inuyasha?"

"Hmm?" He was kicking at the floor.

"I love you."

He stopped in mid-kick and stared at her. She looked sad. No, scratch that, she _smelled_ sad. "Oi, wench, why are you so unhappy about that?"

Kagome shook her head and tried to smile. "I… I just wanted you to know, Inuyasha."

The prince frowned for a moment. He looked at her and then looked at the stairs, a flicker of understanding going over his face. "Kagome! You can't believe that I still love Kikyo!" he growled. "Because I don't!"

"I never said you did!" she answered.

"You may as well have," he retaliated. "I can smell it on you! I mean, didn't you hear my father? She slept with our enemies. Your _father_! Believe me, I was really over the whole 'she cheats on me' thing a long time ago."

"Look, I just wanted to say it, okay?" she snapped. "Because it's true. And I just wanted you to know. How I _smell_ while I say something doesn't mean everything, you know."

Inuyasha glared at her. "Yes, it does." He crossed his arms and looked away. "Kami, I can't wait until you develop a demon sense of smell. Then you'll know what I mean. Then you'll be equal to me."

"_Then_ I'll be your equal?" she questioned, her eyes widening with the offense.

"No!" His ears flattened and his hands fisted. "That's not what I meant! I meant that then you'll be able to smell just as good as me and you'll be able to tell what I'm thinking of too! That's how it works. Then we wouldn't have these stupid arguments over whether I love Kikyo, because you'd know just by my scent that I can't stand the sight of her!"

Kagome was slightly cowed. "Well, I don't know if I'll ever be able to do that," she said, lowering her voice. "How will I know one scent from another? And what they mean?"

Inuyasha took a breath. "You just… _know_. I can't explain it." He frowned and looked back at her. "Well, maybe I can, but it's complicated."

"Try me."

"Alright," he said, rubbing at the back of his neck. "It's like… like having a translator. You know, for foreign dignitaries? You can't understand what's going on just by looking at them, and listening to them alone, but once you add that translator, everything makes sense. Their movements and their expressions – it just clicks into place. You can tell if they're talking about war or peace… or… or, whatever. So you would be able to tell that I hate Kikyo, because my scent _tells_ you that. And… and… you wouldn't feel overshadowed by her because my scent would tell you why you shouldn't feel that way. I don't actually have to _say_ anything, because really, I already have." He sighed with a hopeful look in her direction.

Kagome blushed. "That's not too complicated," she whispered.

"I guess not," he replied.

They stood in silence for a few moments. "Oh hell," he muttered. "Kagome, I love you."

"Inuyasha!" She stared at him. "I thought I-."

His ears flattened. "Damn it, Kagome, I'm not waiting for you to get your demon senses so that you can have _proof_ before you believe me. You're just going to have to believe me! I mean, humans do it all the time, right? If I was human and we were in a human kingdom, you would just have to believe me, so why don't you? I mean, you love me and I accept that!"

She remained silent for a few moments, with her hands folded together and her eyes on the floor. "I suppose it's that I know you better than you know me. Or, at least, I think I do… It just seems so soon," she murmured. She sighed and moved towards him.

"But, I guess that I should give you that benefit of the doubt," she continued when he moved to protest again. "We're both kind of going into this blind, aren't we? So why should you love your irritating servant any less than I love my jackass of a prince?" She shrugged with a smile. "I accept that you love me, Inuyasha."

He smirked at her, gathering her into his arms. "So you'll become my mate?"

"Yes," she said, closing her eyes.

"Tomorrow?"

She laughed and put her hands around his shoulders. "Yes."

Inuyasha gave a self-satisfied little nod. "Good. You won't regret it."

She opened her brown eyes. "No," she said, realizing it as she spoke. "I won't at all."

888888888888888888888888888

A/N: I think I win for greatest fake-out ever. Haha. Before you kill me for making you worry or before you yell at me for taking a cheap way out, remember that the story never mentions the princess's father coming back. Ever. (Which always struck me as strange, considering she must have married one of her father's neighboring kingdom's princes, right?) Of course, I fudged it a bit with Sota visiting, but I have no idea how I would of dealt with the father coming back. I would have probably just killed him off anyway.

In other matters – forgive me for being redundant but some people only read the bottom note and not the top and vice versa – I have a new story coming out after this one is completed. It's called _The Once and Future Taiyoukai_ and it's Sess/Kag. I'm pretty excited about it. I will also be posting it on Single Spark. Please read it and review. Give it a chance, all your Inu/Kag lovers, and all you Sess/Kag shippers – you're welcome. Haha.

Seriously, you guys are the best. I will post the epilogue soon!


	19. Epilogue

A/N: I know, a new chapter and I didn't respond to the reviews beforehand (save a few with specific questions). For an explanation, please read the author's note at the bottom of the chapter. Thank you! Enjoy the epilogue!

Thousandfurs

Epilogue

They all sat in the library, the third largest room in the castle, around an enormous circular table. Sixteen kings in all, many sitting with their eldest sons and some with their chief advisors placed behind them. It was crowded and warm, although it was barely springtime outside and a few places in the gardens still had stubborn snowdrifts.

Kagome quietly kept her hands in her lap and watched the faces of the participants tense in response to the speaker's words. She suddenly realized she hadn't been listening.

"There are still dangerous demons out there, present company excluded, of course. I think that these patrols would be necessary. Not just for humans, but for the civilized demons who travel these routes as well." The king fell silent and looked around the room for support.

Toga sighed and leaned back in his seat. "And how shall we tell the difference between those youkai that are dangerous and those that are not? Some of my people prefer to take, ah, the road less traveled, let's say."

"And how will you tell the difference between genuine human merchants and thieves masquerading as such to gain that trust and privilege?" added Koga.

The youkai delegates nodded in agreement. The king who had spoken first appeared irritated. "Must I mention the unfortunate, _repeated_ incidents of that scoundrel, Naraku, stalking down human traders and killing them for no apparent reason? That creature alone has been the greatest threat to the new routes, be it human or demon."

Toga raised his hand to stop Koga before he could retaliate. "We believe that we have destroyed the last of the puppets my former chef set loose upon the world. And since the initial culprit is now deceased-."

"Beheaded for treason," muttered Inuyasha, loud enough for everyone to hear.

The dog king frowned at his son. "Yes, thank you." He turned back to the others. "Naraku is dead. I watched the execution myself, along with both of my sons and a number of other involved individuals."

"I heard that he gave you a bit of trouble first," said one of the other delegates.

Toga sighed. "Yes. We have already mentioned the continued presence of his puppets. Naraku himself was able to escape once, but fortunately we had bound him with a subjugation spell and casualties were kept to a minimum."

"A subjugation spell? That's a clever little trick, Toga-sama."

"Yes, I thought so myself. I can't claim credit for the idea, however," the king replied, his eyes flashing towards Kagome.

The princess smiled softly, keeping her head down. Her place in the conference was honorary of course. Although Toga had fought for her official inclusion – citing the fact that it had been her idea, after all – the more patriarchal of the kingdoms had forbidden it. She was a woman! And a human. Who cared if her brother was the first human king in centuries to open his borders to demon kingdoms? Who cared if she was mated to the son of the most powerful youkai king?

"Fight one battle at a time," Toga had told her. Kagome had agreed, albeit with Inuyasha swearing about 'pompous bastards' in the background.

At the moment, however, Inuyasha was being unusually quiet. Kagome mused on how long that this rare state of relaxation would last.

"Perhaps we should get back at to the topic at hand," suggested Sota, sitting two places away from King Toga. "What should we do – if anything – to protect the traders? After all, this is why we're opening the borders; we want to foster economic growth and trust between our two species. It would be hindered if thieves are constantly robbing the merchants."

"Or if wild demons are killing them," said one of the humans. There was a soft sound of irritation from the youkai.

A human king from the far north cleared his throat. "May I suggest that all youkai intending to cross borders bear a mark upon their skin? It would only be given to the tradesmen, so that all may know who are the safe ones to approach."

Kagome watched as Inuyasha leapt to his feet amid a roar of disapproval. Oh well, she thought, that didn't last long.

"Are you insane?" the prince snapped. "You have no conception of what a physical mark means to a youkai! I will not allow any of my subjects to be _branded_, especially not by humans!"

"What can we do but mark the ones that mean us no harm?" fired back the Northern king. "We have no way to distinguish those that mean us ill!" A murmur of agreement washed through the human delegates.

Toga laid a hand upon his son's arm, silencing him, but not glancing his way. His golden eyes, piercing and unapologetic, fixed on the offending king. "No one marks a demon except his own mate. I can assure you that any one of my subjects, or any other youkai leader's subjects, would resist as my son does. The idea is appalling to us. You must understand that it diminishes a sacred tradition of ours."

The northern king sneered. "Yes, I had forgotten. You _bite_ your mates to display _ownership_. Certainly, I can understand your hesitance, but perhaps it's time to re-examine your archaic tradition. It's utterly barbaric."

Kagome ran a finger along the mark on her neck, the crescent of clean, even teeth marks that Inuyasha had created more than a year ago. She had never marked Inuyasha in turn, as some females did to their mates, but she didn't regret that. Kagome remembered being frightened when he had first told her about the mark – she hadn't understood its importance, just like this king did not understand. But after he had marked her, it had taken all of two moments to just _get it_. She felt the connection, visceral and strong, to her new mate. They hadn't separated for weeks after that, not until Naraku's escape necessitated Inuyasha's departure.

The mark meant _everything_. It was a symbol, but also the actual contract between them. She was his, but just as equally, he became hers. He had obligations to her, just as she did to him. Kagome wanted to scream at the offensive king, but words failed her. How could she explain it to someone who had not experienced it?

Miroku leaned forward from his place behind Toga and Inuyasha. "Forgive me, Your Majesty, but we do not see it as barbaric. It is youkai tradition, just as marriage is human tradition."

The king sneered. "Ah yes. Lord Miroku. You were a diplomat once, a human once. Now you are demon and Toga-sama's right-hand youkai. What can you say to me to which I should pay heed? You have accepted demons so completely that you have become one! It is a crime against Nature."

"Nature allowed this transformation, Your Majesty," said the former human. "I respect both cultures equally. You should know, I am _married_ to my wife, Lady Sango, although this kingdom calls her my mate out of habit. So I believe I do represent an unbiased perspective."

There was a murmur and a few dark looks thrown about. Miroku continued. "Once again, we have strayed from the issue, but I believe I may have the answer. A quite simple one, I hope. Why don't the kingdoms offer military escorts to the merchants? Then the demons or humans guarding the merchants would bear a kingdom's colors and markings, without harming the physical being. The merchants, of course, would be allowed to decline a military escort. If they do so, they do it at their own risk. They can always hire mercenaries."

"Mercenaries cannot wear kingdom colors," growled the Northern king.

"They cannot," agreed Miroku, "but most mercenaries belong to guilds which have their own marks and colors. I think that most merchants would wisely choose the military guard, however."

The royalty put their heads together with their sons and closest allies. "Very well. If that is the best we can come up with," said the king who had first offended Inuyasha. "We should proceed in these talks upon another matter after all. Not everything is about trade."

"Of course," murmured Toga.

The door opened at the far end of the library and Sango stepped in softly, her arm around her very pregnant front. She bowed to the collected company. "Your Majesties, Your Highnesses and Lords, dinner is almost ready. We thought that you may want to refresh yourselves before sitting down to eat."

Sota looked at both the youkai and human delegates. "Perhaps this is a good place to pause for tonight. A meal will brighten our spirits."

Toga nodded. "Let's adjourn then, until tomorrow morning. We'll put this agreement in writing then."

The group rose to its feet and Kagome stood silently as the kings and princes filed out of the library. Soon, only her family was left. Sesshoumaru had a look of utter distaste as he stood with his father. "They will never accept our proposals. They only agree when one of the humans speak." He spared a glance for Sota and Miroku.

"We can't say that yet," replied Toga. "No one wants war, Sesshoumaru. I'm sure that some sort of lasting peace agreement can be worked out. It's already falling into place, although it's slower progress than I would have liked."

"What about you, Kagome?" Sota turned to his sister. "You can give your opinion now, after all. What do you think about what you've seen?"

She frowned. "I think that old prejudices are difficult to erase, but I noticed that the princes among the group were less resistant to our ideas. I think it will get better as time goes on. This is a generation of kings that hates our kind because they know nothing about us. Like that ridiculous proposal to _mark_ demons crossing the borders. But once our people begin to interact, the princes will be young enough to see that not all the old hatred is worthwhile."

"A wise observation. Let's hope you are correct, Kagome," murmured Toga with a smile. He looked at the other males. "At the moment, I think we should go and clean up before dinner, as Lady Sango suggested. The old kings will look down upon tardiness." They turned and began to walk off. "Inuyasha, aren't you coming?"

"I'll be there in a second," replied the hanyou, standing beside his mate.

Toga nodded and looked back to his two companions. "So, Miroku, Sango looks to be doing well."

"She can still hit me into unconsciousness, Your Majesty, so I would have to agree," said the advisor as they exited the library. They could hear Toga's laughter down the hall.

When the door closed behind them, Inuyasha looked at Kagome. "You shouldn't have to sit there so quietly. I want you to speak up tomorrow."

"Oh, Inuyasha, don't start this again. We already decided that we were pushing our luck with my presence. One female in their midst is enough without her speaking. I was actually thinking of volunteering my place to Izayoi. She feels terribly left out." Kagome stepped close and put her hands into his. "Don't fight them on this, not yet. We're here for a different reason."

He gathered her to his chest and buried his nose in her hair. "All those humans, except for your brother, are just idiots!"

"It will get better," she murmured, relaxing in his arms. They had had precious little time together in the past week. Inuyasha had been returning to their room later each evening as he prepared for the next day's talks with his father and Miroku. Last night, she had been asleep before he came back. "But I miss you."

Inuyasha kissed the crown of her head, while his fingers trailed down the back of her neck. He smiled into her hair when he found the subjugation necklace around her throat. Although he had removed it (and with it, the spell) before they had become mates, Kagome still wore it often. She joked that it was the only piece of jewelry he had ever given her, but even the normally oblivious prince knew that she wore it when she was feeling particularly romantic. "I miss you too," he murmured, turning her chin up so that he could kiss her properly.

Kagome sighed as her arms went around his shoulders, pulling him closer. She shivered as he ran one claw tip over her mating mark. "That's unfair," she said, pouting.

He chuckled and leaned in for a kiss. As his lips were about to touch hers, they both pulled back sharply and looked at the door. "_Every single time!_" snarled the prince.

"Oh stop." She reached up and rubbed his ear, immediately sedating him. "I'll make it up to you tonight, provided you return earlier than dawn."

"How's now? Now good?"

Kagome laughed and kissed him upon the tip of his nose. "Down, boy."

The reason for their hesitance came tumbling into the library at that moment. "See?" said the shorter one. "I told you they were done!"

The taller boy's eyes widened as he discovered the prince and princess in the far corner of the room. "Your Highnesses," he said, bowing deeply. "Excuse us, please. We saw all the other nobles in the halls and we thought…"

"It's alright, Kohaku," interrupted Kagome, smiling as she crossed the room to the two boys. "Inuyasha and I were just about to join the others. But I have to ask, what brought you two here? Many of the kings would be most displeased. A lot of our documents are still in here. The scribes haven't returned for them yet."

Shippo lowered his eyes, but he was grinning. Kagome was a lot like King Toga – she adored him, even if he was doing something slightly _unorthodox_. "We thought that we could hide in the book stacks, see what was happening."

"But the conference is over for tonight," said Inuyasha, who was considerably less tolerant of the young kitsune's actions. He narrowed his eyes at them. "So spill it."

"I know it's over for tonight! But we have to find good places for tomorrow! You can't just pick a place," argued the fox kit, emboldened by Kagome's ever-spreading grin. "You have to have a _plan_, Inuyasha!"

The prince frowned. Shippo was the only one outside of his mate and immediate family that was allowed to drop any title around him. He wasn't sure why that was, but if Kagome and his father didn't object, he could hardly do so. "Whatever. But you're not spying on us, you little runt!" He growled softly. "Besides, even if your plan did work, I would smell you in an instant. What else smells like horse dung in a castle?"

"Inuyasha," warned Kagome, her grin dropping from her face. She turned back to Shippo, who appeared rather crestfallen. "You don't smell like anything of the sort, Shippo. You have every right to be in the castle."

The little fox turned his nose up at the prince, who huffed in annoyance.

"_However_," continued the princess, "you have _no_ right to be in this room during the talks." The kitsune became dejected once again and she smiled. "You aren't just a stable boy anymore, Shippo. You're a royal page now. You _and_ Kohaku. Someday, you two will become officers in the king's army. Boys of your status should not be skulking around in the shadows trying to eavesdrop on what is actually a quite boring meeting between leaders of the lands."

The fox kicked at the ground. "Aw, fine. I just wanted to know what was going on."

"Understandable. But even Toga-sama would be irritated by your spying." She leaned down and pressed a motherly kiss upon Shippo's forehead. "Now, you two run along and take care of your duties. And don't go pestering your sister, Kohaku, because she's very busy at the moment."

"Sure thing, Kagome-sama," said the taller boy, grateful that he had escaped any true punishment. He pulled a slightly sulky fox kit out of the room and down the hall behind him.

"You're too easy on them. They'll be crushed when they get into the army."

Kagome smiled easily at her mate. "They have both had a hard life. They lost the families they had and even though Kohaku has Sango now, they're still just boys. Yelling at them won't do any good." She stepped out into the hallway and began to make her way to the banquet room, since she and Inuyasha were already dressed for dinner. Not that Inuyasha would wear anything besides his customary red. She looked almost drab beside him in her dark blue silk. The gold, silver and diamond kimono were packed away into the royal vaults. They were treasures, after all, and so she had not worn one since the night of her mating ceremony.

"You're… better than I would be."

She looked at him. "What do you mean?"

His ears were flattened against his head. "I don't have any patience with them. You're better… better at being there for them. And Kohaku isn't even your responsibility. And when Sango's kid is born, you're going to be great with it too."

Kagome reached out and touched his shoulder. "Are you saying I'm a good mother?"

"Better than I would be a father," he grumbled, looking down at the wood flooring.

"That's not true," she said, stepping closer to him so that she could wrap her arm around his. "I think you would be very patient with any child of ours. And Shippo knows that you actually like him and that you don't mean half the things you say. Besides, you'll have so many things to teach our child that I could never hope to do. I mean, I know you've been training me in fighting, but admit it, I'm rather hopeless at anything except archery."

"But you're really good at that," replied Inuyasha, a proud smile twitching at the corners of his mouth.

She blushed. "Thanks. The point is that our children will want a father and I certainly can't do that job too. You'll do fine."

"How do you know?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

Kagome shrugged and looked away. "I just do." She turned back and smiled brilliantly as the doors to the throne room came into view. Lords and kings and duchesses were already filing in through to get to the banquet room beside it. "Will you dance with me?"

"It's not a dance, Kagome, just dinner."

"There are musicians though, just like last night. People are still coming in. Please, Inuyasha?" She sucked in her cheeks as he sneered. "For me." Her voice became steely.

His ears flattened again. "Fine," he muttered, as they stepped into the throne room. The musicians just sitting down in their places, across the room from the entrance to the banquet hall, so that the music would only compliment pleasant conversation and not interfere with it. "I don't understand why you like this so much."

She took his hand and they broke apart from the stream of people walking directly in to the banquet hall. "Because I like remembering how we met. And how I fell in love with you."

Inuyasha scowled. "You were working as a scullery maid in the kitchen with Naraku as your boss. You were a runaway with little hope of ever regaining your title and you were in constant fear for you life." He looked at her with wide eyes. "And you're telling me that you want to remember all that?"

Kagome rolled her eyes and silently instructed the musicians to begin playing. "Of course I don't think fondly on those things," she said, as they stepped into the time of the music. "But there were brighter moments. I suppose I shouldn't be thinking of meeting my mate as one of them?"

"Keh. You just forget all the trouble you went through."

"Like Kikyo?"

He looked at her with a sharp turn of his head. "You said you'd never use that against me."

She kissed the curve of his jaw and rested her cheek against his shoulder as they danced. She knew that people were probably staring, but she only pitied them for not having the mate that she had. "And I'm not. But she was very _troublesome_. For both of my personas."

"I think she counted as more than just 'troublesome'," he replied, his mouth pressed against the crown of her head.

"I know, but I can't hate her, Inuyasha."

He rolled his eyes. "Damn it, Kagome, you're such a little innocent."

Kagome raised her hand and snapped her finger across the edge of his ear. Inuyasha made a soft noise of irritation and she smiled. "I used to be. Then I met you." She laughed as the irritation became a growl. "Besides, Kikyo has become so pathetic that I think I would fault even you for hating her now."

"It's her own doing," replied the hanyou. "She was caught and yet she kept doing it."

The princess bit her lip. "I know, but even so, you have to pity her. Getting caught by your own parents and their guests with a palace guard in your bed? I know Kikyo wasn't easily shaken, but that must be mortifying even for her."

"More mortifying since they weren't actually in bed," muttered Inuyasha.

Kagome took in a small breath. "Of course. The central courtyard. That takes guts. And a fair dose of immodesty."

"She probably wanted to get caught," said the prince. "Kikyo was good at a lot of things, but the thing was, she could never keep that fact a secret. I bet she was bursting to tell everyone how easily she conned her parents into thinking she was an innocent virgin."

"Perhaps," said Kagome with a soft smile. "We've been invited to the wedding of course. As fellow dignitaries."

An evil little grin spread across the hanyou's face. "That might be worth it, just to see Kikyo marry a lowly guard."

Kagome swatted him lightly across the shoulder. "Be nice. Besides, what else could her parents do? Half the court knew about it within the hour. They had to appear as if everything had been honorable. They had to at least _pretend_ that the guard was the first she took to bed." She scrunched her nose. "Besides, I think her parents also promoted him to a ridiculously high rank."

Inuyasha's eyebrow shot up. "Well that's not nearly as fun." He shrugged. "But he'll need some incentive to put up with her for life. Of course, she might have him killed off."

"Who? What?" Miroku suddenly appeared at their side with a broad smile. "Killed off, you say?"

"Go away, pervert," muttered the prince.

Sango waddled up to the trio and put her hand on her husband's arm. "Don't mind him. He's just trying to escape talking to Koga."

Kagome grinned, pausing in her dance with Inuyasha. "Why is that?"

Miroku's face suddenly slackened into one of pain. "In the hopes that I will tell everything to the prince, he has decided to inform me of _exactly_ what Ayame has done to better his life, his clan, the world's existence. That sort of thing. As opposed to what he would have gotten with Kagome, I suppose." He ran his hand over his cheek. "He just won't shut up."

"Good thing you aren't our diplomat anymore," teased Kagome. She glanced over Inuyasha's shoulder to see Ayame and Koga walking through the throne room. Ayame was speaking, wagging her finger at the wolf prince. Koga was nodding meekly to everything his mate was saying. "Looks like Ayame has the better deal though."

"Indeed," echoed Miroku. "Her grandfather was installed as council to the king just a short time ago. I was surprised it took that long."

Sango clucked her tongue. "Notice that he's speaking as if _he's_ never given into any woman's demands before," she said to the prince and princess.

The former diplomat wrapped an arm around his wife's waist and pulled her close, placing his free hand on her enlarged front. "I think I made myself clear what I wanted. And I'm getting it, so any concession to you, dearest Sango, is well worth it."

"Pervert." She said it with a soft smile.

"From you, that's an endearment, my love." Miroku looked up and scrutinized the door to the banquet room, his nose twitching slightly. "I think Toga-sama may be preparing for his welcome speech. Are you coming?"

Kagome looked over her shoulder. "Wow, I didn't hear anything, Miroku. You're getting really good." She examined him for a moment. He didn't _look_ any different than when she had met him the year before, except for a fox-like slyness around the eyes. That could have been there before but Miroku was definitively a demon now. Even Kagome's budding youkai senses could detect that with ease.

"I have a few years' head start on you," replied Miroku. "You'll catch up soon enough, Kagome-sama."

"Unlike you, she won't be using her enhanced sense to check out other females, Miroku," muttered Inuyasha.

He put a hand to his heart. "You wound me, my friend. When have I _ever_ given you the idea…"

"Everyday, probably," interrupted Sango. "So you can stop with the theatrics. I knew what a pervert you were when I married you after all." She tugged on his sleeve and they began to walk away. "You coming?" she called over her shoulder.

"We'll be right there," replied Kagome. She leaned into her mate as their friends went into the other room. "Are you saying you don't want that?"

"You looking at other females?" asked Inuyasha. "Well, not really. I mean, they're females so that's kind of confusing…"

She elbowed him in the ribs. "Oh shut up. You've been hanging around Miroku for too long. You're actually growing a sense of humor. It's very disturbing." She smiled at him as he rubbed his side with a grouchy pout upon his face. "I meant the baby."

The prince cocked his head. "I don't know. I guess I won't know until I'm faced with it. Like when I'm in battle."

Kagome took a breath and laced her fingers with his. "Well, suit up, soldier boy."

"Huh?" His ears twitched as he looked at her and then his eyes widened. "Wait… _wait a minute!_"

The princess pulled him towards the banquet hall as he goggled at her, stopping just inside the doorway to listen to Miroku calling for attention. The king was standing up to give his pre-dinner speech. Inuyasha began making sputtering noises as everyone else fell silent. "Hush now," she murmured, leaning close to him and pressing her fingers over his lips.

Toga stood for a moment and smiled as he looked about the room. "My friends, I cannot believe that it has been an entire week since we gathered. I wanted to say…"

"Kagome!"

The princess turned to look at her mate, who was ashen. "Inuyasha, hush. I'm trying to listen," she whispered.

"… and the progress we achieved today was a true sign…"

"But… but a baby?" His voice went up an octave. "A baby? How is that… I mean, a _baby_?"

Kagome rolled her eyes. "I trust that I don't have to explain how a baby is made, Inuyasha. You're very fond of the process after all. I would be surprised if you didn't know its result."

He glared at her for a moment before the expression melted into one of complete astonishment. "I'm going to be a father."

"Yes." She smiled softly as she kept her eyes upon her father-in-law.

"… to this effort. In all of my life, and it has been a long one, I have never met…"

"Why didn't you warn me?"

The princess looked over at her mate. His eyes were still wide with surprise. "I did," she said, laughing softly. "I've been dropping hints all over the place. I thought you were getting it too. You brought it up in the hallway just now. You seemed assured that you would be a good father. So I told you. I don't believe that the male should be the last to know."

He reached for her hand. "Does anyone else know?"

"Myoga does. I told him a few days ago, before he left to arbitrate with those rioters in Kobayashi kingdom. I felt that he needed a little happy news before he had to deal with Kikyo's family, since they must be a mess right about now."

"Okay. Anyone else?" He looked at her carefully, his hanyou nose picking up the scent of her uncertainty. "Kagome?"

She gave him a half-hearted smile. "Well, I'm not sure. I don't think so. No one has said anything _directly_ to me about it."

Inuyasha let out the breath he had been holding and nodded. "Good. I think I need to get used to the idea a little before my parents know."

Kagome looked over at her in-laws. Izayoi returned the look with a brilliant smile and a raise of her goblet. "Uh-oh."

"What?" The prince glanced up to see many of the guests turning in their direction.

"… just lucky that my son realized it in time." There was laughter among the crowd as Kagome and Inuyasha stood in the doorway, frozen by what was happening. Toga lifted his goblet to them. "And although it's slightly past their anniversary, I think we have cause to celebrate, because Princess Kagome will soon be giving my son his first heir. So blessings of Kami on you both."

The room swelled with applause, with the exceptions of a dumbstruck Koga and a few embittered human kings. Every eye was on them as people shouted their congratulations. Sango was crying through a broad grin. Miroku caught Inuyasha's eye and gave him a thumbs up. Shippo and Kohaku were hollering at the far end of the hall while Sesshoumaru clapped twice and put his hands back down. Kagome could only smile and blush. And Inuyasha was practically limp with shock.

"So… your family is a bunch of dog demons," she murmured as she pushed her mate towards their places at the head of the table. "I guess they could smell it."

"I guess." Inuyasha's eyes were wide again as they dropped into their seats. People within earshot were congratulating them and a few males came up to clap Inuyasha on the back, while their wives and mates gave Kagome soft words of encouragement. Izayoi kissed them both, promising to help with everything. Toga beamed.

Only when dinner was brought out did everyone return to the seats and Kagome turned to her mate once more. "So you're alright?" she asked with sheepish smile.

"Yeah," he replied slowly. "It's just that _everything_ is going to change, isn't it?"

Kagome nodded. "That's a guarantee."

"I'm going to have a son."

"Or daughter," she corrected gently. His muscles were relaxing a bit now that the initial shock had worn off, but his eyes were still large and unfocused. "You'll get used to the idea. You have time. It's not happening tomorrow."

He looked at her. "A daughter?" He frowned slightly. "I've got to protect her."

"Or him," she reminded him, smiling broadly.

"I won't let anything happen to our baby, Kagome. Nothing."

Her fingers curled around his underneath the table. Kagura had truly outdone herself with the cuisine that night, but Kagome suddenly couldn't eat a bite. She could barely see anything except the wide-eyed hanyou beside her. "I know you won't."

He relaxed even more and pulled her closer. "Are you okay? Do you need anything?" He frowned down at his plate, as if he just realized he was sitting down to dinner. "You should eat. Not the wine though." He took the goblet away from her place. "What do you want to drink?"

Kagome laughed. "Stop. I think you're getting a little _too_ used to this too fast." She squeezed his hand gently. "I'll be fine."

His ears twitched and the princess suddenly wished that their child would have the adorable puppy ears her mate had. "I just want everything to be perfect. Things between us didn't start out so well and…"

She silenced him with a soft kiss, not caring if anyone else was watching. "It's all better now," she murmured. "It's _already_ perfect."

Inuyasha put a hand on her flat stomach and took a deep breath. There it was, on the fringes of her already heavenly scent – the beginnings of another scent, an intermingling of their own blood. He was amazed he hadn't noticed it before, but something that felt a lot like pride swelled in his chest until it almost hurt. He smirked at his mate. "Yeah, it is."

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A/N: There you go! Done! It's not my favorite epilogue ever, but I covered everything and it was infinitely better than the first oh, DOZEN drafts I went through. (Usually when I say that I exaggerate a little and round up… Not this time, sadly.)

Thank you to everyone who has reviewed, read or even glanced at my story. I do greatly appreciate your interest in what are essentially my creative babies. That said, I do have some good news and some bad news for those of you who are willing to follow me onto my next project, which will be a canon-verse, Sesshoumaru/Kagome pairing called _The Once and Future Taiyoukai_.

The good news – yes, I'm still going to write it. I think I'll be 90 and still writing stories. I will never give it up and I'm very excited about starting this new story. I will not give up on you!

The bad news – I'm in law school now. It's incredibly time consuming and it's going to get worse. Even with my temporary writer's block, I would have gotten this out a week ago if I wasn't doing law school stuff. And I'm just starting off. Like I said, I'm still going to write, but there are some restrictions in place. First, law school (and my husband) will always come first. I'm sorry, I know you want me to update within a week, but that may not be feasible. I'll probably be writing on weekends and, as I don't want my quality of work to decline, it will take me a little while to get things posted. On the other hand, I WILL ALWAYS UPDATE. (I felt the need to yell that for emphasis.) I promise I will not abandon you. Second part of my bad news – I will not be answering reviews any longer. This is effective immediately. I'm sorry but I'm losing enough sleep between law school and writing, I can't afford to answer everyone's reviews too, which usually takes a few hours that I no longer have to spare. I will make exceptions for those of you who write reviews to ask me a question to clarify something or a question that will not cause me to spoil the ending (and other reviews at my discretion).

None of this means that I love you guys any less. I probably wouldn't have been a part of this site for so long if I didn't have all of you. But my life is changing right now and priorities have necessarily been shifted. When you go into $60,000 of debt for school, you'll understand.

Sorry for being long-winded. I just feel that you guys should know exactly what's going on and know that I am in no way trying to short-change you. Since I think that none of you would simply stick around to get my oh-so-enlightening review responses, I'm sure that this really won't affect you very much. But I just like to be clear.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

RosieB


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